UniversalDice’s Misfit Memoirs isn’t your typical indie rock album. It’s more like a long, meandering conversation with a friend who’s been around the block a few too many times, armed with a guitar and an open heart.
Equal parts classic rock nostalgia and indie experimentation, Misfit Memoirs is what happens when a band decides to throw out the rulebook, handcrafting tracks that aren’t bound by trends or labels. UniversalDice, led by the multi-instrumentalist and lyrical ringleader Gerry Dantone, dives headfirst into love, loss, and everything in between with this 14-track album.
The album kicks off with “My Heart is in Your Hands,” and right away, you know you’re in for something genuine. The three-guitar solo finale is like an anthem for anyone who’s ever handed over their heart and hoped for the best. It’s a tender, old-school love song with just enough grit to keep it grounded. Dantone, who plays practically everything here, crafts this tune with bassist Ed Canova, letting the guitars sing what the lyrics can’t.
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From there, the journey deepens with “Once Upon a Time” and “Kiss Me.” The former is a couple of true stories wrapped in a punchy, driving beat that echoes the storytelling style of Springsteen, while the latter is pure melancholy. “Kiss Me” reminds us that love is complicated, with Vin Crici’s delicate piano and some intriguing reverse guitar parts adding layers to the emotional chaos.
By the time you reach “I’m Not Me Anymore,” UniversalDice drops you into a five-song arc that’s a rollercoaster of emotions. This is where Dantone really flexes his songwriting muscles, and things get deliciously unpredictable. “Curse” and “I Hate You” follow, both tracks taking us into darker, more confrontational territory. “I Hate You”—with its blunt lyrics like “’cause you hate me…”—packs a punch, but it’s the kind of punch that leaves you nodding along. These aren’t just songs; they’re exorcisms of frustration, confusion, and, dare we say it, love.
“Forgive Me” shakes things up, questioning everything we thought we knew, as the guitars—courtesy of Bob Barcus—create a swirling, soulful backdrop. It’s that kind of gut-check song where you start wondering if you were the villain in your own story all along. By the time you get to “Stay,” you’ve been through the wringer, but the mellow vibe provides a breath of relief, a promise that maybe, just maybe, things might be okay.
And then there’s “Delectable.” This track alone is worth the price of admission. According to Dantone, Paul McCartney came to him in a dream and handed over the chorus. Whether that’s true or a stroke of creative genius, “Delectable” is hauntingly good, with its Ebow guitar adding a dreamy, surreal layer to the melody.
As the album winds down with “Surrounded,” “A Very Small Man,” and “Slip Away,” UniversalDice continues to surprise, delivering more of those unexpected moments that keep you hooked. “Slip Away” is a gentle reminder not to let life pass by, and it feels like the band is speaking directly to you. When Misfit Memoirs ends with “Forgot to Say,” the stripped-back acoustic closer, you feel like you’ve been on a full emotional journey—and you’re grateful for the ride.
Misfit Memoirs is raw, real, and unapologetically human. UniversalDice doesn’t care about fitting into a genre box, and that’s what makes this album so damn refreshing. Dantone’s conversational lyrics, coupled with a sound that ranges from classic rock to the fringes of indie, create an album that defies expectations at every turn. It’s a messy, heartfelt, and utterly unique rock record that’ll leave you thinking long after the final note fades.
Claire Uebelacker