Dog Day’s latest album is titled Fade Out, but the group’s surreal classic rock is not likely to fade from memory anytime soon. The group from Halifax was started by Seth Smith and his wife Nancy Urich almost 10 years ago and they have been creating their unique mix of rock-influenced guitar, dreamy surreal bass lines and unique lyrics ever since.
On first listen, the music may sound like generic indie rock, but if you listen closer you’ll get the full effect of the lyrics and what the band is saying about the world through their music.
Each and every song on the album tells its own story, whether it’s about corrupted love, surviving the world or just wasting time. The lyrics in “Lurking Fear” talk about uncertainty and delusions while the instrumentals slowly change from energetic guitar chords into deeper, faster bass with more chaotic drum lines.
The focal point is the second track, “Wasted.” The song begins strong and energetic with fast guitar lines, supplemented with the vocals and bass adding the signature dreamy texture.
The final track, “Before Us,” has a lighter mood than the rest of the album, something almost hopeful, leaving the listener with a brighter outlook of the world but suggesting there are still obstacles that must be overcome as the music slowly fades to static.
In Fade Out, Dog Day has really found a unique sound in their combination of sweet yet unsettling vocals and classic instrumentals. If you are looking for something a little deeper than what you hear on the radio, I definitely recommend you listen to Dog Day’s Fade Out.