The band’s figureheads and main songwriters were Jelle Paulusma (lead vocals) and Anne Soldaat (guitar, vocals). Critics often heard echoes of early Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and other sixties bands from the American west in Daryll-Ann’s particular blend of indie rock. After an initial EP (Decibel, 1991) and début album (Renko, 1992) on tiny domestic labels, the band drew the attention of Hut, the indie branch of Virgin Records. The I Could Never Love You and Come Around EP’s (1993 and 1994, respectively) were praised by critics in Holland and the U.K. The group toured Europe and their first full-length album for Hut, Seaborne West (1995), even saw a U.S. release. It received rave reviews in the U.K. music press. Due to disappointing sales, however, the band was dropped by Hut and joined the respected Dutch indie label Excelsior Recordings, for which they continued to release albums to huge critical acclaim (but moderate commercial success). A small international cult following continued to follow the band, so that some of their Excelsior releases were also put out internationally. Daryll-Ann’s studio albums for Excelsior Recordings: Weeps (1996)|Happy Traum (1999)|Trailer Tales (2002)|Don’t Stop (2003) Excelsior also released a limited edition live album, entitled DA Live (2000). The band decided to call it a day in 2004. Frontman Jelle Paulusma resurfaced two years later with his first solo album, using his his family name Paulusma as his moniker, whereas guitarist Anne Soldaat went on to form the band Do The Undo (self-titled début album released in 2007) and subsequently started recording under his own name, Anne Soldaat. |
|