The Answer Is In The Beat

The Woolen Men: Dog Years LP (Dog’s Table, 2013)

July 24, 2013 at 12:18 am | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

LP of previously cassette-only tracks from this Portland indie-pop group. LP jackets are hand-assembled and glued, with cut out construction paper. A bit of an ’80s college-rock/power-pop feel to some of the songs, particularly in how catchy they are, but filtered through ’90s lo-fi. “Land Of Laughs” has bashy drums and “whoa-oh-oh” chorus vocals. “Fig Leaf” sounds like it could be a synth-less lo-fi cover of a new wave song. “MRSA” almost strikes as sounding like a poppy Clash song, with a singalong chorus of “better not get to me”. OK, the song itself doesn’t really sound like The Clash, just the singer’s vocals in the verses. “Trap Door” has a pretty straightforward groove and a constant lyrical theme of trap doors opening, and a spoken bridge where the singer talks about falling and fracturing his wrists. “Girls On The Lake” is very lo-fi and GBV-esque, but more Tobin Sprout than Robert Pollard. “Dogs” starts with some ill-connected-cable electric guitar strumming, and has a slow, steady pace and chorus vocals saying “they are the dogs”. “Wick Is Sick” starts with electric piano and bass guitar, and has a really lo-fi interpretation of a Beatles type arrangement. “West Coast” starts with a noise keyboard freakout and is a furious, almost Fall-esque ranter which bashes on for 6 minutes, with plenty of messy keyboards and guitars covered in effects. “Today” is probably the most straightforward catchy pop number here, just 2 minutes of sugary sweet garage-pop, which couldn’t possibly come close to wearing out its welcome, even if you play it multiple times in a row. “Boomerang” is so muddy you can barely make any of it out; there’s a loud guitar in the right channel, some drums bashing in the right, some bass guitar, and vocals (and harmonies) that are not easy to discern. “Donkey Island” is another 2 minute catchy garage-pop number which sounds slightly wobbly and off-center. “Two Brothers” is a little cleaner, the vocals are a little more upfront and discernable, and the instruments seem separated a bit more and it’s not as noisy. Drums are slower and relaxed, chorus is “remember always be cruel”, and the song ends with a spoken vocal, “I’m getting on a plane, I’m coming to see you, keep the door open for me.” Available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp. Woodsist released their self-titled 2012 cassette on LP this year, and I have a download promo of it, but I still haven’t gotten around to listening to it yet.