Beyond Everything is the second full-length album by Dion Lunadon. Previously of The D4 and A Place To Bury Strangers, the album was released via In The Red Records in June 2022. Pulled from a large collection of songs written between 2017 and 2019, Beyond Everything adds more of a dynamic element to Dion’s sound building on components of his 2017 album, while not forgetting them completely. “Goodbye Satan” starts off Beyond Everything. With a drum machine and organ sounds, the song builds while the vocals display an element of isolation as synthesizers and fuzzy sounds arrive closer to the songs end. A 50s rock element creeps into the vocals, echoing a doo wop sound, but also creating a world of sounds that pulls from the band Suicide, Crocodiles and the world of David Lynch. Guitar arrives near the last minutes of the song as lyrically throughout Dion sings “And you tried to take me away/Rip me limb from limb/Tried to drive me insane,” the song seems to offer a glimpse into a cinematic world of temptations, personal demons and inner strength.
“By My Side” begins with a drumbeat and wild, unhinged guitar sounds. Lyrically the words in the song lend themselves to the interpretative side of things as they rise and waver between the guitars, drums and distortion prevalent throughout the vocals. When the music video was released for this song Dion described it as: “Lyrically, it evokes cinematic images more than a feeling. Musically, it all started with the idea of a strange dissonant hum that gives way to the song dropping. I love Hitchcock and crime movies, so the video is placing pictures to the score...Crime and dissonance.” “It’s The Truth” cuts through with distorted guitar, thrashy sounding drums and a smooth bassline that glues it all together. This untamed injection of garage and psych rock balances itself with lyrics that evoke a feeling of absence that makes the heart grow fonder.
“Screw Diver” is one of the longer tracks found on Beyond Everything. With pummelling drums and guitar riffs, the song contrasts this with a calming, yet unnerving vocal melody. “Elastic Diagnostic” is another highlight found on this album. Starting with a fuzzy, driving bassline and the lyric “Hungry just to be alive,” the song builds around the hums and tones conjured by the guitars on this track. As it captivates with its deep spellbinding groove, noise and abstract lyrics “Close my eyes/Get lost in the fall,” the song gets lost in the moment as Lunadon summons up shades of a Fun House-era Iggy Pop vocally. “Glass Doll” attacks with a distorted punk rock fragility as “Too Hard To Love, Too Young To Die” digs into a 60s garage pop meets punk atmosphere. With its repetitive lyrics, use of space and undeniable intensity, lyrically it seems to address a desire to overcome difficult hardships.
“Pink X” gets more experimental with its sleazy basslines and drums mixing with other effects. The guitar adds texture to the song with tremolo in parts and rusty abrasive sounds in others. “Living and Dying With You” ends Beyond Everything, fittingly being the last track recorded for the album, this song is a more dynamic garage punk track with travelling basslines, Chuck Berry-styled rhythms, catchy melodies and lyrics that bring forth images of downtown sprawls, the city at night and a sense of till death do us part romanticism.
The press release for Beyond Everything reads: “Beyond your skin, beyond your screen, beyond what you think you know. What lies in this area? An area with no opinions, motives, sides or divisions. An area where governments and capitalists have no currency and the absolute truth reigns supreme.” The songs that make up this album don’t adhere to any specific theme other than themselves. They illustrate a use of space that only adds to their intensity, melody, noise and overall impact. Beyond Everything resonates in more ways than one.
Listen to the interview that Revolution Rock did with Dion Lunadon:
1. Kamikaze Nurse – Pet Meds
2. Spencer Krug – River River
3. Frog Eyes – A Speck of Dust
4. The Orange Kyte – The Modern Day Saints
5. The Trophies - Idle Threats
6. Active Dog - Nothing Holding You
7. Paul Jacobs - The Tree Outside My House
8. Dion Lunadon - Goodbye Satan
DION INTERVIEW PART ONE
9. Dion Lunadon - It’s The Truth
DION INTERVIEW PART TWO
10. Dion Lunadon - Elastic Diagnostic
11. Angel Olsen - Big Time
12. Wilco – Mystery Binds
13. Tess Parks – Old Life
14. Big Thief – Blue Lightning
15. The Smile - We Don't Know What Tomorrow Brings
16. Cate Le Bon - Pompeii
17. Destroyer - June
18. Port Juvee - Motion Control
19. Dion Lunadon - Hate
20. Dion Lunadon - Negative Energy
21. Dion Lunadon & Kate Clover - When Will I See You Again
DOWNLOAD/LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE.
Show 937 Playlist (Originally Aired On June 4th, 2022)(Ziggy Stardust and Roxy Music 50th Anniversary):
1. Roxy Music – Re-Make/Re-Model (Roxy Music - Island Records/Reprise Records - 1972)
2. Roxy Music – Bitters End (Peel Session - 1972)
3. Venus in Furs – Ladytron (Velvet Goldmine OST - London Records/Inner-State Recordings - 1998)
4. Spizzenergi – Virginia Plain (Soldier Soldier - Rough Trade - 1979)
5. Roxy Music - Chance Meeting (Roxy Music - Island Records/Reprise Records - 1972)
6. Roxy Music - Would You Believe (Roxy Music - Island Records/Reprise Records - 1972)
7. Roxy Music - Sea Breezes (John Peel Session) (Roxy Music Deluxe Edition - Island Records/Reprise Records - 2018)
8. Roxy Music - Virginia Plain (Outtake) (Roxy Music Deluxe Edition - Island Records/Reprise Records - 2018)
9. David Bowie - Five Years (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - RCA Records - 1972)
10. David Bowie - Soul Love (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - RCA Records - 1972)
11. David Bowie - Moonage Daydream (Arnold Corns Version) (Ziggy Stardust 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - EMI Records - 2002)
12. David Bowie - Starman (Jonnie Walker - Lunchtime Show - 1972)(Bowie at the Beeb 1968-1972 - EMI/Virgin Records - 2000)
13. David Bowie - It Ain’t Easy (Bowie at the Beeb 1968-1972 - EMI/Virgin Records - 2000)
14. David Bowie – Lady Stardust (Demo) (Ziggy Stardust 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - EMI Records - 2002)
15. David Bowie – Star (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - RCA Records - 1972)
16. Arnold Corns – Hang on to Yourself (Ziggy Stardust 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - EMI Records - 2002)
17. David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust (Demo) (Ziggy Stardust 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - EMI Records - 2002)
18. David Bowie – Suffragette City (Live in Santa Monica ‘72 - EMI - 2008)
19. David Bowie – Rock n’ Roll Suicide (The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - RCA Records - 1972)
20. David Bowie - Velvet Goldmine (Ziggy Stardust 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition - EMI Records - 2002)
