We thoroughly enjoyed the Dolfish debut 7″ EP Your Love Is Bummin’ Me Out (see our post here) with its collection of short, sad, bitter and darkly humorous folk songs that evoked everything from Daniel Johnston to Times New Viking.

Dolfish is actually 23-year-old Cleveland born songwriter, Max Sollisch. His first proper LP, I’d Rather Disappear Than Stay the Same features a backing band of Iowa musicians whom Max had only met upon arriving in Des Moines to record. Tracked live with little overdubbing, these 12 songs were rarely rehearsed more than a handful of times by the all-Iowa, all-star backing band giving the record a spontaneity and rawness rarely achieved on a studio album.

It is one of those records that probably (definitely?) won’t sell millions of copies, but it will be treasured and loved beyond measure by those who are seduced by its unique and idiosyncratic charms. Cult of Dolfish anyone?

The album is out on 30th October via Afternoon Records.

Download Dolfish – I’d Rather Disappear Than Stay The Same mp3 (from I’d Rather Disappear Than Stay The Same)

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