Exclusive Artist Interview: Joe Dandeneau of Theory of a Deadman
New Studio Album Dinosaur Out Today
Today, Canadian rockers Theory Of a Deadman released their eighth full-length album Dinosaur, featuring the Top 10 Active Rock Radio title track, via Roadrunner Records. Theory Of A Deadman rose to the top of the rock scene with their double-platinum 2008 record Scars & Souvenirs and numerous hit singles including “Bad Girlfriend,” “Bitch Came Back,” and “RX (Medicate.)” The band has garnered over a billion, yes that’s a billion with a “b”, streams on Spotify, and over 700 million views on YouTube. The band is known for their hard-hitting, grooving riffs but also for monster hooks that drive their creative songs which are often emblazoned by their terrific sense of humor.
Let’s take a bit of a deeper dive into the ten tracks that make up the new record. Dinosaur was produced by Martin Terefe so the signature, polished sound of TOAD can be heard throughout the album. The band decided to record the album at Atlantis Studios in Stockholm, Sweden, made famous by the Swedish pop powerhouse of ABBA, and holed up for several weeks, making a temporary home base in the city. The end result of their work is a record that stands up with the best that TOAD has ever done, full of everything we love and come to expect from the band with a few interesting surprises.
The title track is a full-on rock and roll anthem with a driving, forceful beat that will have you on your feet, raising your fist in the air while “Medusa (Stone)” features some terrific leads courtesy of guitarist Dave Brenner. After that, we have a little departure from the forceful rock tracks with jangly guitars and the laid-back feel of “Sick,” a bit of a statement on silly, social media trends before the pace picks up to a nice, mid-tempo song, perfect for driving down the road. Next, we have TOAD taking on the melody of the Grover Washington Jr. hit, written by Bill Withers, “Just The Two Of Us,” for their own take on the song “Two Of Us (Stuck.) It’s a unique tune because it’s definitely not a cover song, but it’s still instantly recognizable, very well done indeed. Moving on to “Ambulance” starting out with the sound of sirens, Tyler Connolly’s vocals are front in the mix changing tempo and variations as the song progresses, perfectly pushed by the basslines of Dean Back. Mixing things up nicely is the piano-driven “Sideways” before we get the punishing drums of Joe Dandeneau on “Get In Line.” Following, are two country-driven tracks “Head In The Clouds” and “Hearts Too Wild,” perfectly done and a great showcase for the versatility of the band. Closing out the record is the fun-filled “Summer Song,” a song about a girl named summer and a throwback to the carefree days of our youth-filled summers.
Dinosaur is an outstanding addition to Theory Of A Deadman’s music catalog. The songs are top-notch with enough variety to please just about anyone. Check it out for yourself and add it to your playlist today.
Click Here To Listen To Dinosaur!
Shutter 16 Magazine had the opportunity to chat with Theory Of A Deadman drummer Joe Dandeneau to get his thoughts on the new album as well as an update on the band’s tour plans. Click below to listen to our interview in full.
DINOSAUR TRACKLISTING
1. Dinosaur
2. Medusa (Stone)
3. Sick
4. Two of Us (Stuck)
5. Ambulance
6. Sideways
7. Get In Line
8. Head In the Clouds
9. Heart’s Too Wild
10. Summer Song
THEORY OF A DEADMAN TOUR DATES
Rock Resurrection Tour with Skillet and Saint Asonia
March 17 – Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland
March 18 – Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena
March 19 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
March 22 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre
March 24 – Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort – Grand Theatre
March 25 – Wheatland, CA @ Hard Rock Live
March 26 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
The Dinosaur Tour (Canada)
April 25 – Moncton, NB @ Molson Canadian Centre ~
April 27 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre ^
April 28 – Peterborough, ON @ Peterborough Memorial Center ~
April 29 – Quebec City, QC @ Videotron Centre ^
May 1 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena ^
May 4 – Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre ~
May 6 – Thunder Bay, ON @ Thunder Bay Community Auditorium ~
May 8 – Winnipeg, MB @ Canada Life Center ^
May 10 – Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place ^
May 11 – Calgary, AB @ Grey Eagle Event Centre ~
May 12 – Abbotsford, BC @ Abbotsford Entertainment Sports Centre ^
~ headlining show
^ supporting Disturbed
Summer Festivals
June 24 – Sarnia, Canada @ Bluewater Borderfest Music Festival
July 4 – Traverse City, MI @ National Cherry Festival
July 7-8 – Elko, NV @ Summer Daze Fest
July 22 – Menahga, MN @ Mid-Summer Music Fest Rock Week
August 24 – Syracuse, NY @ New York State Fair
September 1-3 – Pryor, OK @ Rocklahoma
UK Tour
September 22 – Camden, UK @ Electric Ballroom
September 23 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
September 24 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage
September 26 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
September 27 – Cardiff, UK @ Tramshed Cardiff
September 29 – Wolverhampton, UK @ KK’s Steel Mill
September 30 – Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Junction
Theory Of A Deadman — Tyler Connolly [lead vocals, guitar], Dave Brenner [guitar, backing vocals], Dean Back [bass], and Joey Dandeneau [drums, backing vocals]
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