Let’s cut the crap: Misfit Memoirs by UniversalDice isn’t just another rock album—it’s an emotional firestorm. It’s the kind of record that crawls inside your chest, makes itself at home, and then stomps around until you’ve felt every pang of regret, every flash of fury, and every shred of hope it has to offer. It’s messy, sprawling, ambitious, and sometimes teetering on the edge of collapse—and that’s exactly why it works.
Gerry Dantone, the mastermind behind UniversalDice, doesn’t bother with small talk. He dives headfirst into the deep end of the human condition—love, loss, betrayal, self-doubt, and the ever-present search for meaning—and he doesn’t come up for air until the very last track. This isn’t music for the passive listener. This is music for the overthinkers, the misfits, and the romantics who wear their scars like badges of honor.
Take the opener, “My Heart Is in Your Hands.” It’s all shimmering melodies and open-hearted sincerity, a song that dares to be vulnerable in a world that sneers at sentiment. There’s an almost REO Speedwagon-esque quality to it, like it could’ve been written in a smoke-filled room at 3 a.m., with a half-empty bottle of something strong nearby. It’s earnest without being saccharine, which is a damn near impossible balance to strike.
But just when you think this album’s going to play nice, along comes “I Hate You.” Holy hell. If this isn’t one of the most gloriously bitter rock anthems of the last decade, I don’t know what is. Dantone snarls his way through the track like he’s exorcising a demon, and the guitars don’t just wail—they seethe. It’s raw, it’s cathartic, and it’s impossible not to get caught up in its venomous energy.
The genius of Misfit Memoirs is that it never lets you get too comfortable. One minute you’re thrashing along to Curse—a dark, brooding banger that feels like it could’ve soundtracked some lost noir film—and the next, you’re hit with “Forgive Me,” a ballad so tender it practically bleeds. This track is pure heartbreak, plain and simple, and it’s proof that UniversalDice isn’t afraid to let their guard down.
And then there’s “Dance Real Close.” This song is pure magic. It’s nostalgic without being cloying, a throwback to a time when rock wasn’t afraid to have a little fun. The groove is infectious, the hooks are razor-sharp, and if you don’t feel the urge to get up and move, you might want to check your pulse.
Lyrically, Dantone is firing on all cylinders here. The man writes like he’s got something to prove, and maybe he does. These songs are packed with lines that cut to the bone, whether he’s dissecting a certain… public figure’s ego (“A Very Small Man”) or grappling with his own flaws (“I’m Not Me Anymore”). But what sets him apart is his ability to tackle heavy subjects without getting bogged down in melodrama. There’s a wit, a bite, and an unflinching honesty to his writing that makes even the darkest moments feel alive.
Sure, there are imperfections. A couple of tracks—Delectable and Slip Away—feel like they’re circling big ideas without quite landing them, and the production is occasionally rough around the edges. But those flaws only add to the album’s charm. This isn’t a pristine, overproduced record—it’s a living, breathing document of a band putting everything they’ve got on the line.
By the time the album closes with “Forgot to Say,” you’re left feeling like you’ve just been through the wringer—in the best way possible. It’s a quiet, reflective end to a record that’s anything but, and it leaves you with the sense that UniversalDice still has more stories to tell.
In a world where so much music feels like it’s been focus-grouped into oblivion, Misfit Memoirs is a breath of fresh air. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s not afraid to take risks. UniversalDice has created something messy, beautiful, and undeniably human.
Chadwick Easton