Let me start by saying that as a fellow New Paltzer, I did not let that fact influence my forthcoming opinion on the LOS DOGGIES record in any way.
Alright here’s the skinny. Two of these doggies are brothers, I have a brother, I like that. These folks are also pretty talented. They’ve crafted some thick tunes filled with riffs, some falsettos, some grindy bits, and shipped them in a very well produced package.
BUT
BUT BUT
It’s all incredibly exhausting. There’s tons of potentially cool elements here that are somehow mixed in JUST such a way where I’m finding myself wanting to skip to the end halfway thru each track – maybe the songs could benefit from being shorter? Idk.
“Why Say I Say” is kinda nice before it veers headfirst into Incubus territory, but I wonder if its because its one of the few moments the record decides to breathe. “Wood Eye” reminds me of that Good Luck record I love so much and may be the stand-out here. It’s well paced, the lyrics and vocals aren’t too jarring. There’s a (guitar) solo too. PS Most of these songs have a guitar solo.
When Los Doggies go ham, they go ham! But to the point where I feel like the narrative potential of the song just gets lost in the sauce of manic drums, circular bass, and rifffffffffage. Maybe just make the tracks instrumental and release an album of spoken word poetry to play alongside it a la Flaming Lips “Zaireeka” style.
Lyrically. They’re on their own level. Its obtuse but ya know…it’s consistently obtuse.
For example:
“When all they fell on me
Fell on in a desperate play
The touch of me
Bleeds on in a pig’s ravine.”
or
“The fresh skin on my face
Teenage blood inside my veins
Supports the checkered stage
In the fangs
at the eye of the snake”
Sure! Why not! Go off! If these guys know what they’re talking about then I believe there will be people out there who also are willing to get into it.
This might be someones cup of tea! Its almost my cup of tea, but its like it steeped too long and is now just all punch and not enough tenderness. Overall I think the record could benefit from some restraint – having too many good ideas tripping over themselves to be heard is just as harmful as focusing on one really bad idea.
FFO: the vocals of the dude from wolf parade fronting a pop punk band filled with players who really wanna make mathrock and metal.
Digital Wheat Paste 