D.D.R. – Blinded By The Blonde (2026)
The brainchild of musician and novelist Stephen Paul, D.D.R. (Divorced Dad Rock) creates, in his words, ”…songs that live in the space between heartbreak and healing.” It’s not just about music, but that instinctual passion burning deep in your core of setting yourself free with the swagger of a rockstar and zealous earnestness. In other words, the dad or mum downstairs letting it rip from the bottom of their hearts. Join us as we sit back, turn up the speakers, and take a listen to D.D.R’s debut EP, Blinded By The Blonde.
A hard-hitting blast of old-school rock music, Blinded By The Blonde will have you strutting about with your air guitar, smashing the invisible drums with ferocity, singing into your hairbrush, and releasing your inner rock star. Yet, as much as the tracks get the blood pumping with a tangible crash of sound, Blinded By The Blonde has a profound, poignant concept. It’s not just fun; it’s fun on a meaningful, deeper and significant level. Pouring experiences of relationships – from the giddy joy to betrayal and loss – Blinded By The Blonde is an emotional arc tapping into the complexities of love.
Opening with ‘Never Forever’, D.D.R sets the scene with a sweep of old-school melodic rock leaning towards the stylings of Led Zeppelin and Journey. Drums beat with ferocity but also a hard-hitting steadiness, while the bass boldly keeps pace. A guitar sweeps across the track with a soaring, swerving, all-encompassing burst of music; however, just as the guitar is head-turning, it has a soul-stirring calm, finding the line between rambunctious roar and delicate caress. The piano inserts a soft breath of air, while Paul’s vocals have a nostalgic reminiscence of Steve Perry.
The opening track of any album is always a deciding one – should we carry on or call it a day? ‘Never Forever’ pushes a person forward, and we are met by more classic rock sounds throughout Blinded By The Blonde. Interestingly, while each track drags you to the 1980s rock scene, every single has individuality, with ‘Make Me Feel Again’ and ‘Anything Less Than More’ a softer edge, ‘Don’t Tell Me How To Grieve’ holding a blues-tinged tone in the line of Gary Moore, and ‘Just 10 Minutes In’ smashing along with a harder, heavier, blood-pumping sound.
It’s difficult to choose a favourite track on Blinded By The Blonde, not only because of the varying rock sounds but the soul-stirring lyrics and intimate narratives. I admit, ‘Don’t Tell Me How To Breathe’ holds a special spot. It tugs on the heartstrings, sends shivers down your arms, and leaves you breathless. Regardless of which song is your favourite, I highly recommend every moment of Blinded By The Blonde.
Find out more about D.D.R. On his Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
