Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Three madmen but one sound

 By Henry Lipput

Madman in the Rain (The Beautiful Music), the new album from Washington, D.C.’s own Dot Dash, is a jangle-filled, melodic treat and the long-awaited follow-up to the band’s most excellent 2018 Proto Retro.

What have they been doing during the time between the albums? Well, if you follow any of the Dot Dash social media feeds, you know they’ve been touring and performing, probably playing songs from Madman in the Rain and no doubt giving audiences a thrill with the new sounds (and they're touring behind the album as well).

One of the highlights of listening to Madman in the Rain is the extremely clean mix. Producer Geoff Sanoff (he also plays keyboards on the album, occasionally channeling his inner Steve Neive) proves that the trio of Terry Banks (guitar and vocals), Hunter Bennett (bass), and Danny Ingram (drums) are equal partners in the band’s sound.



Another highlight is the clever lyrics. On “Airwaves” they use a word that gives you the (correct) impression that here is a thinking man’s jangle: “So goodbye and good luck/I hope things turn out alright/Where you’re going/In the gloaming/In the night.”

“Trip Over Clouds” has both some wordplay and Joan of Arc: “Joan of Arc/I put the fire out/But beware of sparks/It’s a lost art playing Name That Tune/While you’re whistling in the dark.” Both “Space Junk, Satellites” and “Tense & Nervous” have references to songs by The Jesus and Mary Chain, Everything but the Girl, The Cars, and The Knack. “Tense & Nervous” also tells the story of a wild road trip: “Caught a ride on a whirling tornado/Ending up in Juarez on the way to Laredo/How did I get here?/ How can I get back?/To Candy-O and Get the Knack?”


Tuesday, December 6, 2022

They’re Leaving Home

By Henry Lipput

“My House” (Bandcamp) the new single from Birmingham, UK’s 3 Little Wolves, is a song of both hope and dread.

Despite their name, 3 Little Wolves is a five-piece consisting of Paul (vocals and rhythm guitar), Corrine (keyboards and samples), Leong (lead guitar), Dale (bass), and Khay (drums). Their new song is a follow to July’s “Torch Song” and a preview of their debut album Fires in the Night being released in early 2023.



With more than a little jangle and a major, almost ominous lead guitar, “My House” is driven by thumping drums. The song’s sing-along chorus gives the band a chance to face down the situation by looking forward to a better future. “Can’t you see/We have to go/I never did anything/I never want anything.”

It’s a situation many of us have faced, whether because of a choice we’ve made or one in which we’ve had no say in the matter, causing us to leave a job, a relationship, or the place we’ve called home. You always hope things will be better on the other side.