The funniest thing about dazy is that James Goodson is a publicist and yet, seems to be completely against going through the motions of rolling out a proper release cycle behind most of his work. Then again, if it were my day job to be chasing down publications and writers for coverage and interview spots with the artists I’m working with, I’d probably need some separation from wanting to do the same with my own work, too. Consider it a practice of balancing life out in true DIY sense and trusting one’s own intuition, which helps boost dazy’s music with a carefree energy in spite of the woes Goodson deprecatingly sings along about.

It’s been a successful method regardless. Last year, the punked-up power-pop songwriter dropped a coupling of EPs that turned out to be some of the year’s best, and now in the death march months ahead of the end of the penny, Goodson is reminding us that one cent can be stretched out with maximum impact on his latest extended play, Bad Penny. The double entendre couldn’t be any louder here because it’s as if dude is allergic to writing a hook that’s less than memorable and doesn’t end up living rent-free in your head all week long. No wonder Ian Shelton of Militarie Gun consults him on the alternative post-hardcore band’s own harmonization of their efforts because it’s near impossible to find a less-than-shiny post on these seven fresh cuts.

The pursuit of perfectionism really does seem to the play here, too. Whereas dazy’s earliest work was filled with fuzz-blown riffs and stereo boxes hissed out behind bedroom walls with pop static, Goodson’s refinement on his sound is making his music hit that sweet spot while feeling out new vibes. “Half Truth”, “Silly Me” and the EP’s title track try out some Baggy styles over dazy’s sunbursting power-pop while standout opener “Straight 2 U” and “Delusions of…” respectively answer the question as to what a bigger spaced anthem and skittish synthesizers might do to the formula (answer: they only make it better.) Adding in Justin Pizzoferrato (Dinosaur Jr., Wild Pink) behind the listen’s mix and mastering with a co-production nod from Ryan Hemsworth only makes dazy’s electrical energy swirl in more vibrant hues. As the album artwork reads, “In dazy we trust.” Good thing he does, too, because he’s on a nonstop roll.

Highlights: “Straight 2 U”, “Delusions of…”, “Bad Penny”

dazy’s Bad Penny is available now on Lame-O Records.