Do Not Dare To Dream
Teenage Fanclub have become very good at making uncertainty sound comfortable. Do Not Dare To Dream continues their recent preference for gentle guitars, close harmonies and songs that take their time. Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley share the writing and singing, giving the record two related views of love, passing time and the search for a little stability. There is little urgency in the arrangements, but the feelings are not always as settled as the music suggests.
There Was You is an inviting start, with an easy folk-pop shape and harmonies that give the song warmth without forcing it. Tomorrow People adds a slightly different colour through the keyboards, while Over And Over keeps a thread of sadness inside its soft melodic frame. The band understand how to make a song welcoming even when its words have doubts to work through.
Day In The Sun gives the reflective mood a note of optimism. Somewhere To Land returns to a looser, reflective approach, and Be With You Tonight finds space for a guitar part that adds character without disturbing the album's calm. These are small differences rather than dramatic turns. They reward attention, especially when the two songwriters' approaches sit beside each other.
At times, those differences are too small. Similar tempos and an unhurried delivery make sections of the album blend together. Anyone hoping for the noisy rush or immediate hooks of the band's earlier work will have to adjust expectations. This is familiar territory, and a few songs would benefit from a stronger push.
Do Not Dare To Dream still has enough melodic craft to justify its quiet approach. It is unlikely to become the first Teenage Fanclub album to hand to a curious newcomer, but it offers existing fans a thoughtful set of songs. The pleasures are modest and consistent: a harmony arriving at the right moment, a warm guitar sound, and a little hope that does not ignore the sadness around it.
