Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines and get ready for the ride
of your life. If you like energetic guitars, insightful lyrics,
infectious melodies and absolutely fabulous vocals, you are going to
love the new release from Dakoda Motor Company. The title says it
all - Welcome Race Fans. It's sporty, stylish musical fun, an
invitation to a celebration of life in Christ at its most joyful.
Behind the wheels of this musical adventure lie the talents of
lead vocalist Davia Vallesillo, guitarist Peter King, bassist Derik
Toy, drummer Chuck Cummings and the band's newest member, guitarist
Elliot Chenault. Following their highly acclaimed debut, Into the
Son, Dakoda has released another collection of lively tunes that
defy categorization. Some call it pop. Others label it alternative.
To many it's surfer rock, but whatever you call it - it's fun music
with an important message.
The nucleus of the band came together when Davia and Peter met at
the beach in LaJolla, California. Pretty soon they were leading
worship services and began looking for other creative individuals
interested in combining music and ministry in a cutting edge band.
They found kindred spirits in Chuck and Derik, both accomplished
musicians on the local scene. The band soon developed an
enthusiastic following as they garnered rave reviews opening for
mainstream bands like Mary's Danish and dada.
Dakoda Motor Company's musical ministry gained a national
platform with the release of their Myrrh debut, Into the Son. The
disc spawned five top ten records, including the number one hit
"Wind an' Sea." They were lauded in Billboard Magazine
among the hot mainstream acts on the 1993 Critic's Choice List when
writer Jim Bessman proclaimed "the sunny charm of this southern
California alternative Christian band can't be denied."
They spread that sunny charm across the country as they toured
with Petra. They traveled to Mexico doing mission work. They were a
hit performing for professional surfers in Hawaii (King himself is a
successful surfer who has appeared on the cover of Surfer magazine
three times, and has an endorsement deal with Billabong, a
California clothing company). Dakoda was also heard on mainstream
radio stations all over the country as their song "Rockin' In
The Mall" was used in an ad campaign for the Chevrolet Camaro.
(Those who loved the 60-second ad will enjoy the full version on
their new disc.)
How are they going to top a year like that? With Welcome Race
Fans. "I think this album has a lot more energy," Davia
says. "I think it gives more of a feel about what we're like
when people see us live." Chuck agrees. "I can't describe
what it is, but there is definitely a lot more energy and a lot more
diversity in the songs," he relates.
The songs for new album were born in a high-energy collaborative
situation as band members convened in the studio. "The first
record was a little different in the sense that Peter wrote the
majority of the music with the exception of maybe the drum and bass
parts," Chuck recalls. "On the second record, Peter would
come in with a basic chord structure and the band would, over a
period of a few days, slowly kind of put it together, arrange it,
change some chords, that kind of stuff . . . and as soon as the song
started to take shape, Peter and Davia would collaborate on the
lyrics."
The result is an engaging collection of tunes ranging from the
warm, melodic "Friend In My Eyes" to the innovative
"Uglier" to the driving "Trip To Pain." The
latter tune is one both Chuck and Davia describe as one of their
favorites. "It's about how we can have a trial, a really
painful time, but that God can save us over and over again,"
Davia relates. "It's about God's grace and his mercy. Even
though we put ourselves in hard situations, he still loves us and
he'll back us up again and again."
"Stand Up" is one of the most powerful cuts on the
project. "It's bold in the sense that it's a direct statement
to Satan," Chuck says. "The lyric say 'go back to where
you come from, I command you in Jesus' name.' It's powerful. It's
saying 'look, you have no business being here.' It's a
straightforward song."
"Friend In My Eyes" is a song Davia says describes her
idea of a good relationship. "It's a dream of mine," she
confesses, "for a Christian relationship. The lyrics say 'we'll
run through the snow and we'll share all you know about angels and
visions and prophets of old.' I just think it's a dream Christian
man and woman relationship."
Exploring all facets of life as Christians in the '90s is what
Dakoda Motor Company's music is all about, but most of all it's
music about the joy found in a life in Christ. "One thing
that's really good about most of our songs is you don't really find
much cynicism in them," Chuck relates. "It's all very up,
happy kind of stuff. There's a lot of real personal stuff
intertwined in our music . . . It's like this is what happened in my
life. When it becomes more personal I think more people are apt to
listen to it with an open mind."
One of the most gratifying aspects of Dakoda's growing popularity
is their enthusiastic acceptance from mainstream audiences. "Everytime
we play to a secular audience we have an overwhelming
response," Chuck says. "Our music is so straightforward
and our lyrics are so simple that everybody gets what we're talking
about right away, but it's not threatening to them."
Davia agrees. "We do it with confidence too," she adds.
"We're not like going, 'sorry we're singing about God.' It's
like 'hey, we're singing about God.' The words just come out and
people respect that."
Welcome Race Fans is sure to rev up the enthusiasm of those who
are already Dakoda fans as well as ignite the interest of those
who've yet to experience the ride. It's an exhilarating musical
experience sure to place this happy California band squarely in the
winner's circle. "The name Dakoda Motor Company is just like
energy, like an engine moving," Davia says. "That's just
that way we are on stage and I think that's the feel of the whole
album too. So welcome race fans. It's like we're welcoming all of
our fans to join us, have a good time, have fun. That's what it
means to me."