Danko Jones’ Latest LP Is Another Welcome Addition To 2025’s Field Of New Rock Albums

By: Philip Sayblack

Danko Jones released its latest album last weekend.  The record came Nov. 21 in the form of Leo Rising.  The follow-up to the band’s 2023 album, Electric Sounds, this 11-song record is a step up from that record.  The band’s latest offering, Leo Rising proves itself worth hearing in part because of its musical arrangements.  The lyrical themes that accompany said musical material adds another layer of engagement and entertainment to the whole.  The record’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation.  Each item noted is key in its own way to the whole of Leo Rising.  All things considered they make Leo Rising one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.
Leo Rising, the latest album from Danko Jones (the band’s 12th album), is a mostly successful record that proves itself worth hearing at least once.  That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements.  From beginning to end of the nearly 40-minute record (37 minutes to be exact), the arrangements featured in here are each their own easy fit for any active/modern rock radio programmer’s play list.  To be more exact, every song is easily comparable to works from the likes of Buckcherry.  The album’s bluesy finale, ‘Too Sick For Love’ could even be argued to be comparable (at least to a point) to works from the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Clutch.  To that end, that paints the songs as so easily accessible for audiences.  To that end, the infectious grooves established by the band throughout this record make for a solid starting point for the album’s presentation.
The lyrical content that accompanies the album makes for its own interest.  That is because they are just as accessible and resonant with audiences as the album’s musical arrangements.  One prime example of the strength of the album’s lyrical content comes in the form of ‘Gotta Let It Go.’  The album’s ninth entry, this song delivers a familiar uplifting message.  Front man and band namesake Danko Jones delivers the message, singing, “When the going gets tough/And you’re outta good luck/Make sure you’re never getting stuck/Get down/Your eyes can’t deceive you/You know what you’ve been through/So take stock/Get up/And get on the move/Things might have slowed you down/But nobody counts you out/You gotta let it go/Don’t look back/Get back on track.”  As noted this is a straightforward, easily accessible delivery of a familiar theme that is just as welcome in this case as in any song from any of Danko Jones’ contemporaries.  That positive, uplifting message continues in the song’s second verse, which states, “So if your heart was in a mess/And you left under duress/Don’t bother ever looking back/Don’t stop/Follow your intuition/You’ll make the right decision/Look out/Look up/Look on/And get in the groove.”  This reminder to keep going is certain to resonate with so many audiences.  It is just one example of what makes the album’s lyrical themes so important.
Another example of the lyrics’ importance comes in the form of the album’s opener.  Just as positive as the message presented in ‘Gotta Let It Go,’ this song is a full-on celebratory song that raises up the joy of simply rocking out with good music.  This as Jones sings, “If you want it/You got it/We’re gonna give you what you need/If you close your eyes/For just a moment/You might start to hear/That living sound that’s ringing in your ears/It was long compounded into weeks/That turned to years/And it’s still not enough to quell the hunger/It’s so addictive/This craving that you live with/Do you want it/If you want it/You got it/We’re gonna give you what you need/If you want guitars to make you go deaf/We’re gonna give you what you need/If you want that bass/Across your face/We’re gonna give you what you need/If you wanna get beat up/By the big old drums/We’re gonna give you what you need.”  He adds a little later, “Forget about your worries for a moment/They’ll disappear/’Cause that sound was better than you imagined.”  Again, herein is that timeless celebration of the simple joy of rocking out, the power that music has to take a person to another place even temporarily.  It is another simple, accessible message whose accessibility and familiarity in its own right is sure to engage and entertain audiences.
Yet one more example of the strength of the album’s lyrical content comes in the form of ‘Going Blind.’  This song is summed up with the line, “If hindsight’s 20/20/I’m going blind.”  Jones expands, singing, “I found out the hard way/Always the last to know/Just sitting pretty/Nothing to do/Or maybe I’m just too slow/Or maybe I’m fine/Who really knows?/Hardest in the morning/When you got no place to go/Waking up to nothing to do/And you got nothing to show/Or maybe it’s time/But something’s not right.”  He adds further, “Still don’t got a handle/Of where things had to go/Call it confused/Or maybe it’s due/To how I need to grow/Or maybe sometimes/I can’t see the signs.”  This song, while a solid mid-tempo rocker, delivers a seeming story of someone who is in that familiar place of feeling completely lost where they are and unable to make sense of his or her situation.  If in fact that is the case, it is another situation that will resonate with audiences.  Ironically if it is in fact the case, then the song’s arrangement certainly does not align with the mindset here, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.  That is considering how many songs of this ilk are typically so overly emotional and contemplative.  When this theme and the others examined here are considered along with the rest of the album’s lyrical content (much of which centers on women and relationships), the whole makes the overall lyrical content reason in itself for audiences to hear the album.
Putting the final touch to the album is its production.  Throughout the course of Leo Rising’s 37-minute run time, the production shines, bringing out the best from each musician’s performance.  Each performance compliments the others, never overpowering one another at any point.  The result is that each song offers audiences the fullest impact and in turn the whole becomes a fully immersive presentation for listeners.  To that end, the positive aesthetic impact of Leo Rising works with the album’s overall content to make the whole a presentation that the band’s established audiences and more casual rock fans alike will find enjoyable.
Leo Rising, the latest full-length studio recording from Danko Jones, is a mostly successful addition to the band’s catalog that is also a welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.  The album’s success comes in part through its featured musical arrangements.  The arrangements are of note because of their familiarity and accessibility.  The same can be said of the album’s lyrical themes.  They are just as accessible and familiar.  The record’s production ensures a positive aesthetic impact, finishing out the presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the record.  All things considered they make Leo Rising a presentation worth hearing at least once, as it is a welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums, even this late in the year.
Leo Rising is available now.  More information on the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:
Website: https://www.dankojones.com
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/dankojones