Universal Dice’s New Single “A Very Small Man”

Universal Dice’s new single “A Very Small Man” from their collection Misfit Memoirs is timely. Thankfully, it’s much more than that. It’s a showcase for the band’s creative center and chief songwriter Gerry Dantone. He plays every instrument for this particular track and penned the orchestral arrangement. It’s a testament to his talents that “A Very Small Man” still retains the elusive feel of a full-bodied band performance. You won’t hear any holes in the presentation. Lesser talents might find themselves spread too thin by such demands. However, Dantone’s prodigious talents and elastic chops can cover every base.

URL: https://universaldice.com/

Dantone develops the song in a patient way that helps pay off for listeners. Confidence emanates from the performance that fosters faith from the outset. Self-assurance has always marked Dantone’s songwriting for Universal Dice, but a focused calm surrounds “A Very Small Man” that sounds next-level exceptional. The arrangement boasts a gentle stride and tasteful guitar work accompanying it during the early minutes. Dantone’s drumming for the song achieves an uncluttered swing that benefits “A Very Small Man”.

The clipped, abbreviated lyrics are a highlight. Dantone fills in the details of the subject with generalized traits rather than belaboring specifics. Listeners familiar with newsworthy figures, particularly once and potentially future Presidents, will note the similarities between the figure Dantone describes and the aforementioned person, but the song cannily avoids direct references. Other songwriters wouldn’t have resisted the temptation to score extra points with sympathetic listeners. Instead, we have a better tune because of it.

The orchestrations and developments later in the track elevate the listening experience. Dantone deserves considerable credit for taking what begins as a relatively unadorned and straightforward tune into a much more layered auditory journey during the second half. Dantone’s production acumen serves the song well. He presents “A Very Small Man” warmly and robustly with a finely tuned balance between the song’s varied sonic strains. There is self-assurance underpinning every line and note.

The spoken-word portions of the vocal and multi-tracked singing are delicious additions. Delivering the former without a hint of the comedic helps emphasize the subject’s absurdity. Dantone’s skills in creating a full songwriting experience are on fine display with this performance. It is difficult to say how it fits Misfit Memoirs’ potential conceptual design. However, he’s a proven craftsman. Listeners can rest assured that it doesn’t strike a discordant note.

It has great merits as a standalone creation. Gerry Dantone’s vast experience as a singer, musician, and songwriter are essential ingredients for the success of “A Very Small Man”. He exhibits them for listeners throughout this single in a way that engages both the mind and body without succumbing to any of the pretentiousness that might hobble a lesser songwriter. Universal Dice’s new single is the best yet from Misfit Memoirs. It burnishes Dantone’s reputation as one of the most talented under-the-radar singers currently writing and recording. His talents far outstrip such labels as indie, and he deserves the largest possible stage for his gifts.

Garth Thomas