At four tracks long, ‘Pretty Good’ comes almost exactly a year after the release of ‘American Radass (This Is Important)’ and displays how far Dads have actually progresses in terms of their sound. It serves as a great filler, and a good sign for future material.

Production is much improved and the sound featured on the EP is much sharper, most noticeably the vocals, which seem far improved to those on ‘American Radass’, most noticeably on opener ‘My Crass Patch’. The vocals no longer seem ‘raw’ in the same sense but contribute to a more refined and structured delivery, which sees Dads attempt to cover new ground, whilst slowly distancing themselves from their ’emo’ label. The first song is dark and moody, and explores a different, harsher sound than Dads have previously displayed. It’s still mellow and reflective, being aggressive when necessary and it works well. ‘Can I be Yr Deadbeat Boyfriend?’ is more like the material on ‘American Radass’, being fast, angsty and well written with ‘Boat Rich’ continuing the pattern, bringing back the trademark melodic guitars and hazy vocals which mix perfectly, along with nostalgic lyrics and a catchy chorus to match. Final track ‘No, We’re Not Actually’ is a simply structured song which displays Dads ability to write sad but good music. It starts off light and adds layers, bringing in instruments and stronger vocals before climaxing. It’s been done before by different artists, but it sounds very good when Dads do it. It’s well crafted and written, being lyrically strong, like the three tracks that precede it. It’s the best song on the EP and a great closer, which leaves the listener wanting to hear more.

‘Pretty Good’ presents a more refined sound, and makes an effort to explore the bands sound further. Despite being short, it does show progress, by sticking to trademark Dads but showing development via a smoother and more confident delivery.

Rating – 8/10

Stream it here: http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/ep_premiere_dads_pretty_good