Danielson is an American rock band from Clarksboro,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, that plays

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and sub ...

gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...

. The group consists of frontman Daniel Smith and a number of various artists with whom he collaborates. Smith has also released solo work as Brother Danielson. When joined by his family the band is known as Danielson Famile or Danielson Family, whose members have included Smith; his "siblings Andrew, David, Megan, and Rachel; wife Elin; friends Christiaan & Melissa Palladino; nddaughters Lilly and Ida".

Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released nine solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomi ...

has also recorded and performed with the group. The band is known for Smith's squeaky,

falsetto ''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...

vocals, innovative musical arrangements, and matching uniforms "that act, according to Daniel, as 'visual reminders of the spiritual and emotional healing taking place' within audience members." During some performances Smith has "worn a nine-foot tall, hand-made nine-fruit tree to 'bear the good fruit,'" in reference to the

fruit of the Holy Spirit The Fruit of the Holy Spirit (sometimes, incorrectly, referred to as the Fruits of the Holy Spirit) is a biblical term that sums up nine attributes of a person or community living in accord with the Holy Spirit, according to chapter 5 of the Epi ...

History

In 1993, while attending

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

as a senior, Daniel Smith experienced a spiritual reawakening:

"This was the year I stopped running away from home, picked up my acoustic guitar again and changed from being Dan back to Daniel. I woke up to the fact that I have an amazing family, an amazing childhood and I began to relate everything I was thinking and doing with this in mind... I began reading the Bible and praying again and songs and art started flowing. I would meet with my dad and talk philosophy and theology and I became a child again."

Smith has cited the major influence his musician father had on him growing up and the importance of lyrical content. Smith began recording songs that would later compose the album ''A Prayer for Every Hour'': "some from my solo 4-track, some with my friends Jason Faunce and Missy Forsyth backing and some with my brothers and sisters backing. Danielson became the name of the songs that I write. I had become "Daniel" and realized that I am a son." He submitted the album as his final thesis (and received an 'A' grade) and performed, joined by his siblings, at the senior art show. Smith then sent the album out to several indie labels but only received a response from Tooth & Nail in California, who picked up the album and released it in 1994. Daniel Smith, his siblings, and friend Chris Palladino began to perform in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia as the "Danielson Famile." The group released ''

Tri-Danielson!!! (Alpha) ''Tri-Danielson!!! (Alpha)'' is an album by the New Jersey indie rock band Danielson Famile, released in 1998. Part of the album was recorded at Ventnor Methodist Church, in Ventnor City, New Jersey Ventnor City is a city in Atlantic County, ...

'' and ''

Tri-Danielson!!! (Omega) ''Tri-Danielson!!! (Omega)'' is the fourth full-length album by New Jersey indie rock band Danielson Famile Danielson is an American rock band from Clarksboro, New Jersey, that plays indie pop gospel music. The group consists of frontman D ...

'' in 1998 and 1999 respectively, earning them further college radio play and broadening their indie audience. Both LP's were recorded and produced by Kramer. The band became known for their onstage costumes (initially nurse uniforms with large red hearts sewn on) as well as their homemade T-shirts and other merchandise. While the lyrical content was unabashedly

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, Danielson Famile nevertheless received strong press and support from

secular Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...

audiences due to their musical inventiveness. Danielson signed to

Secretly Canadian Secretly Canadian is an American independent record label based in Bloomington, Indiana, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Austin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin. Secretly Canadian is a label included in Secretly Group, which ...

Records in 2001 and released ''

Fetch the Compass Kids ''Fetch the Compass Kids'' is the fifth full-length album by New Jersey indie rock band Danielson Famile. A portion of the album was recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago at his Electrical Audio Electrical Audio is a recording studio, recording fa ...

'', which was recorded by

Steve Albini Steve Albini (pronounced ; born July 22, 1962) is an American musician, record producer, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman and Flour, and is a member of Shellac. He is the founder, owner and principal en ...

. Smith then released a solo record in 2004 (''

Brother Is to Son ''Brother Is to Son'' is the sixth full-length album by New Jersey indie rock band Brother Danielson Danielson is an American rock band from Clarksboro, New Jersey, Clarksboro, New Jersey, that plays indie pop gospel music. The group consist ...

'') as Brother Danielson. It was followed in May 2006 by the ambitious ''

Ships A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...

'', which featured contributions from a total of 20 musicians, including

Deerhoof Deerhoof are an American musical group formed in San Francisco in 1994. They currently consist of founding drummer Greg Saunier, bassist and singer Satomi Matsuzaki, and guitarists John Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez. Beginning as an improvised noi ...

, Why?,

Serena Maneesh Serena-Maneesh (previously spelled Serena Maneesh, sometimes shortened to S-M) is a Norwegian alternative rock band from Oslo. Biography The team of musicians who each contribute to the band's sound is organized around songwriter Emil Nikolaisen ...

, and

Half-handed Cloud Half-handed Cloud is an American recording project, based in Helsinki, Finland since 2015. It was started in 1999 as a one-man band by John Ringhofer, who created the band name based on an occurrence in the Old Testament. The majority of Half-hand ...

. The band was chosen by

Matt Groening Matthew Abram Groening ( ; born February 15, 1954) is an American cartoonist, writer, producer, and animator. He is the creator of the comic strip ''Life in Hell'' (1977–2012) and the television series ''The Simpsons'' (1989–present), ''Fut ...

to perform at the edition of the

All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warh ...

festival he curated in May 2010 in Minehead, England. In 2011, Smith released ''

Best of Gloucester County ''Best of Gloucester County'' is the eighth full-length album by New Jersey indie rock band Danielson. Track listing # "Complimentary Dismemberment Insurance" # "This Day Is a Loaf" # "Grow Up" # "Lil Norge" # "But I Don't Wanna Sing About Guita ...

'', the first Danielson album released solely through his

Sounds Familyre Records Sounds Familyre Records is an independent record label based in Clarksboro, New Jersey, started and managed by Danielson founder Daniel Smith, who created the label in 1999. Artists * Sufjan Stevens * Danielson * Half-handed Cloud * Soul-Junk ...

label. In June 2014, Danielson and

Jad Fair Jad Fair (born June 9, 1954) is an American singer, guitarist, graphic artist, and founding member of lo-fi alternative rock group Half Japanese. Biography Fair was born in Coldwater, Michigan. In 1974, he and his brother David formed the lo-fi ...

(of

Half Japanese Half Japanese is an American art punk band formed by brothers Jad and David Fair around 1975, sometime after the family's relocation to Uniontown, Maryland. Their original instrumentation included a small drum set, which they took turns playi ...

) released a collaborative album "Solid Gold Heart". The album came about as part of Jad Fair's Artist In Residence project with Indianapolis label

Joyful Noise Recordings Joyful Noise Recordings is an independent record label from Indianapolis, Indiana. The label was founded in 2003 in Bloomington, Indiana by Karl Hofstetter, who also played drums on many of the label's first releases. Joyful Noise maintains an a ...

. Daniel Smith has cited his musical influences as including "

T.Rex ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosaurus'' live ...

Rapeman Rapeman was a short-lived American noise rock band founded in 1987 and disbanded in 1989. It consisted of Steve Albini (formerly of Big Black) on guitar and vocals, David Wm. Sims (formerly of Scratch Acid and simultaneously of the Jesus Liza ...

B.A.L.L. B.A.L.L. (pronounced "ball") were an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1987. The band was formed by Don Fleming, Kramer, David Licht and Jay Spiegel. After releasing 4 LP's (all Produced & Engineered by Kramer for ...

Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Barrett was their original frontman and primary songwriter, becoming known for his ...

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, Bongwater, My Bloody Valentine,

Beat Happening Beat Happening is an American indie pop band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1982. Calvin Johnson, Heather Lewis, and Bret Lunsford have been the band's continual members. Beat Happening were early leaders in the American indie pop and lo-fi mo ...

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Ween Ween is an American rock band from New Hope, Pennsylvania, formed in 1984 by Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo, better known by their respective stage names, Gene and Dean Ween. Generally categorized as an alternative rock band, the band are ...

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, avidBowie,

Can Can may refer to: Containers * Aluminum can * Drink can * Oil can * Steel and tin cans * Trash can * Petrol can * Metal can (disambiguation) Music * Can (band), West Germany, 1968 ** ''Can'' (album), 1979 * Can (South Korean band) Other * C ...

Pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas arou ...

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and more." In addition to Danielson's music, Smith has recorded and produced albums by

The Welcome Wagon The Welcome Wagon is a Gospel/indie pop band from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. The group consists of Presbyterian minister Thomas Vito Aiuto and his wife, Monique. Their debut album, ''Welcome to the Welcome Wagon'' (2008), was produced by Su ...

, The Chairman Dances,

and others.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''

A Prayer for Every Hour ''A Prayer for Every Hour'' is the debut full-length album from New Jersey indie rock band Danielson Famile Danielson is an American rock band from Clarksboro, New Jersey, that plays indie pop gospel music. The group consists of frontman Da ...

'', Danielson, Independent, 1994 * ''

Tell Another Joke at the Ol' Choppin' Block ''Tell Another Joke at the Ol' Choppin' Block'' is the second full-length album from New Jersey indie rock band Danielson Famile Danielson is an American rock band from Clarksboro, New Jersey, that plays indie pop gospel music. The group co ...

'', Danielson Famile, Tooth and Nail, 1997 * ''

'', Danielson, Tooth and Nail, 1998 * ''

'', Danielson, Tooth and Nail, 1999 * ''

'', Danielson Famile,

, 2001 * ''

'', Brother Danielson,

, 2004 * ''

'', Danielson,

, 2006 * ''

'', Danielson,

Sounds Familyre In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

, 2011 * ''Solid Gold Heart'',

& Danielson,

, 2014

Compilations

* ''Trying Hartz'' (two-disc retrospective), Danielson,

, 2008

EPs

*''Insound Tour Support'',

Soul Junk Soul-Junk is an experimental genre-hopping Christian rock and hip hop group from San Diego, California. Background The roots of Soul-Junk began in 1993 when Glen Galloway began experimenting while touring in Europe with his rock band Truman ...

+ Danielson, Insound, 1998 * ''

Wow To The Deadness ''Wow to the Deadness'' is an EP by Steve Taylor & The Danielson Foil, a temporary collaboration between the supergroup Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil and Daniel Smith of Danielson. Recorded in 2015 at Electrical Audio in Chicago, Illinois, and p ...

'', Steve Taylor and the Danielson Foil, Splint Entertainment, 2016 *''Snap Outtavit'', Danielson, Joyful Noise, 2018

Singles

*"Flip Flop Flim Flam", Danielson Famile, Fluevog, 2001 *"The Kid" / "Five Stars and Two Thumbs Up", Brother Danielson,

, 2003 *"When It Comes To You I'm Lazy" / "Goody, Goody", Danielson

Kill Rock Stars Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and Tinuviel Sampson, and based in both Olympia, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, but was originally known ...

, 2006 *"I'm Slow But I'm Sloppy" / "Did I Step On Your Remix", Danielson, Anticon Records, 2006 *"Dry Goods Dry Power" / "Left-Handed Smoke Shifter", Danielson, Sounds Familyre, 2006 *"Our Givest (Odd Nosdam Remix)" / "Jokin' At the Block (Dymaxion Remix)", Danielson, Secretly Canadian, 2008 *"Moment Soakers" / "Eagle", Danielson, Sounds Familyre, 2009 *"Grow Up" / "

Wheel in the Sky "Wheel in the Sky" is a song by the American rock band Journey, recorded in 1977 and included on their fourth studio album, '' Infinity.'' It was written and composed by Robert Fleischman, Neal Schon, and Diane Valory. Background At the time o ...

" (Journey cover), Danielson, Fire, 2011 *"Expectorance", Danielson,

, 2012 *"The True Wheel", (Brian Eno cover) Danielson,

, 2018 *"Visions of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, Danielson,

, 2020

DVDs

*''Tooth & Nail Videography – 1993–99'', Tooth & Nail Records, 2000 *''Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music'', Blank Stare, 2006 *'' Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make A Joyful Noise HERE)'', Homevision, 2007

Compilation appearances

*"Song for Every Speaker" – ''Art Core Volume 2'', Tooth & Nail, 1996 *"Smooth Death" – ''Tooth & Nail Rock Sampler, Volume 1'', Tooth & Nail, 1997 *"Allhallow's Eve" – ''The Unaccompanied Voice: An A Capella Compilation'',

, 2000 *"Who are Parents?" – ''Better Than the Beatles: A Tribute to

the Shaggs The Shaggs were an American rock band formed in Fremont, New Hampshire, in 1965. The band was composed of the sisters Dorothy "Dot" Wiggin (vocals and lead guitar), Betty Wiggin (vocals and rhythm guitar), Helen Wiggin (drums) and, later, Rach ...

'', Animal World, 2001 *"Nothing to Do" – ''Dimension Mix: A Tribute to

Bruce Haack Bruce Clinton Haack (May 4, 1931 – September 26, 1988) was a Canadian musician and composer in the field of electronic music. Biography From Alberta to New York (1931-1963) Demonstrating an early ability for music, Bruce Haack is said to ha ...

'', Eenie Meenie, 2005 *"My Lion Sleeps Tonight" – ''Mews Too: An Asthmatic Kitty Compilation'',

Asthmatic Kitty Asthmatic Kitty is an American independent record label founded in 1999 by a community of musicians from Holland, Michigan led by Sufjan Stevens and his stepfather Lowell Brams. Some were Holland natives, and others had come to attend local coll ...

, 2006 *"Worried Shoes" – ''I Killed the Monster: 21 Artists Performing the Songs of

'', Second Shimmy, 2006 *"Happy Days Are Here Again" – ''

Song of America MS ''Celestyal Olympia'' is a cruise ship owned by the Cyprus-based Celestyal Cruises, formerly Louis Cruise Lines. In April 2012 she was named ''Louis Olympia'' after operating as the Thomson Destiny for Thomson Cruises. She was built in 198 ...

'', Split Rock Records / Thirty One Tigers, 2007

Soundtracks

* ''Electric Jesus (Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture,'' Various Artists), Joyful Noise, 2021

References

External links

Sounds Familyre
- Record Label Site
Danielson: A Family MovieDaniel Smith talks about the making of ''Ships'', plus movie, with Plan B MagazineMstation Interview w/ Daniel SmithTrouser Press entry
{{Authority control Musical groups from New Jersey Tooth & Nail Records artists American Christian rock groups Musical collectives Sufjan Stevens Anticon artists Musical groups established in 1994 People from East Greenwich Township, New Jersey 1994 establishments in New Jersey Secretly Canadian artists Fire Records (UK) artists Sibling musical groups