New Release: Sirens And Hellbenders by Dennis Davison

As the former lead singer of the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles psych-pop outfit Jigsaw Seen, Dennis Davison continues to write and record music in that vein. On Sirens and Hellbenders, the usually outspoken singer/songwriter delves into themes not always fodder for the water cooler. For instance, in “Why Do We Need A God?,” the singer states, “Milky Way braces, Andromeda chases / Head-on collision through nature’s precision / People are planning while gravity’s laughing / Counting the days as the seconds are passing.” Davison is possibly arguing the powers of nature are on auto pilot, one that no greater power could control.

On “536 AD,” the singer pulls no punches when commenting on the current political plight of rational Americans, “Damn the Flat-earthers and stone stupid birthers / Devious dark web conspiracy surfers / Fear driven cowards give home school degrees / Spoon fed deception, could die from a wet sneeze / Oh no where did the sun go.”

As his follow up to the 2023 EP Creaturefeature, Davison’s third solo album is a breath of fresh air. Famous for that neo-psychedelia sixties sound, the songs here are painstakingly relevant in 2025. The first single, “Invisibilia,” is a tune about that imaginary girlfriend we’ve all had (right?). The song is bountiful with poppy hooks, pulling you in with a wonderful melody and strong guitars. The album’s hilariously accurate second single, “Putting Up With People,” not to be confused with the nonprofit organizations Up with People (whose sole purpose is to empower youth to lead change in the world), is a testament to the annoying. Davison gives a TED Talk on strategies to tolerate those people. He explains in his lyrics, “There is no room for misanthropes and cynics / A lonely tomb awaits those who despise / But you’re in luck ‘cause I could run a clinic / A healthy dose of charity’s advised.” This could very well become the theme song for the cubicle-dwellers among us. And if you listen closely, you’ll hear former Jigsaw Seen drummer Teddy Freese and backing vocals from Paul Kopf (The Seeds, Strangers in a Strange Land) and Michelle Krupkin.

Honest, intelligent, and provocative songwriting has served Davison well throughout his career. Before leading the Jigsaw Seen, he sang for The United States of Existence. Davison told No Earplugs, “I had a punk band from ‘77-‘80 called Ebenezer and the Bludgeons that The USE guys used to come to see play and invited me to be their singer. That band still has some clout in punk circles.” He has been able to hold a mirror up to his personal life experiences, expanding to the grander scale of politics, nature, and religion.

On “Winterland’s Gone,” Davison has re-recorded the Jigsaw Seen’s closing tune from their 2011 release Winterland with a hipper and rockier presentation. His lyrics, “Winterland’s gone, long, long gone / Winds are blowing cold.” Is this a nod to the real end of the Seen? Fans hope not.

For more information on Davison’s past, present, and future projects, visit his official website. To listen to/purchase Sirens And Hellbenders in digital or CD formats, visit his Bandcamp page.

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