“A Very Small Man” by Universal Dice

The latest single from Universal Dice’s Misfit Memoirs, “A Very Small Man”, is arguably the most effective release yet from the band’s new album. Singer/songwriter Gerry Dantone’s abilities for broad stroking a character study in miniature serve him well. It’s a well-rounded composition checking off every musical, vocal, and lyrical box with an even-handed approach that emphasizes the whole rather than one particular aspect of the piece. It underlines the condensed focus that Dantone brings to his songwriting as well.

“A Very Small Man” never bites off more than it can chew. It comes across as a song where Dantone firmly grasps what he wants to say and accomplish when beginning the recording process. Such certainty makes for a more inspiring listening experience. It doesn’t unfold in a rousing or boisterous fashion. Dantone takes a little over three minutes to make his case via song, and his patience has a strong artistic flavor. “A Very Small Man” is measured and supremely well constructed.

He does it with minimal instrumentation during the first half. It’s little more than guitar, drums, bass, and intermittent keyboard touches. The loping bass line pairs well with the song’s straightforward percussion and scatters six-string phrases throughout the arrangement suited for the song’s needs. Interjecting orchestration during the song’s second part isn’t what every songwriter would do. Dantone is out of the ordinary. The addition works splendidly without severing the song from its original guiding impulse.

The double-tracking of Dantone’s vocals strikes the right degree. He has a strong voice for this song and Universal Dice’s other material. However, his singing is idiosyncratic enough that sweetening his tone with judicious backing vocals is a shrewd move. His voice likewise achieves an effective union with the song’s aforementioned guitar playing. There’s a slight blues rock tone to many of the song’s guitar phrases, and Dantone eschews any typical “guitar hero” touches.

He grounds “A Very Small Man” on solid songwriting fundamentals. There are no ostentatious moments in this track that attempt to remake the songwriting wheel, and there are no fanciful additions that qualify as self-indulgent. Universal Dice’s “A Very Small Man” achieves a great deal with seemingly bare-bones tools, and that impression further testifies to the immense songwriting and musical skill that fuels Universal Dice’s best work.

This is arguably the best track yet released from the band’s new album Misfit Memoirs. “A Very Small Man” doesn’t have a single hole in the entirety of the performance. The flawless design of the performance should check off every box for casual and devoted listeners alike. It’s a single that holds up under repeated listens rather than coming across as an one-and-done number. Dantone is creating authentic musical art with his work, and this new single reinforces his standing as one of the best at his craft today.

Let’s hope we have Universal Dice around for years to come. Gerry Dantone may be working alone on this single, but he and his collaborators remind us of what good songwriting in a rock vein can accomplish. 

Nicole Killian