With the high siren cries of Matt Jenkins’ guitar, Dogheart’s new album What Burns The Best (released today), splashes onto the scene before settling with the ripples into a catchy, surf rock-ish groove. The simple guitar licks and soothing bass lines are bound to be on your lips for the rest of the day, and Jenkins’ Interpol-esque vocals transmit with it the smell of sandy beaches that can’t be far around the corner by the time this short album is over. (The album is only 10 tracks and around 30 minutes long.)
A certain sonic nostalgia washed over me listening to this album. Though the album at times soars on poppy riffs, it manages to fray enough at the ends to feel spontaneous and heartfelt. The jangly anthems can almost be felt way down in the marrow, slowly churning up and out. The beat is persistent enough to ask why you aren’t moving yet. By the end of the album you can hear the boys of Dogheart playing passionately enough to send their instruments slightly out of tune. If nothing else, What Burns The Best promises the potential for a great show full of relentless rock tunes you can move to.
While the album itself may not provide any new ideas of garage rock or surf rock, it certainly feels familiar enough to enjoy on a relaxing day. They owe a lot to influences like Guided By Voices, though props must be given to Jenkins for his flowing—but not overly busy—guitar riffs, which strike a good balance with the simple vocal melodies that are bound to get listeners singing along. And you’ll get a chance to do that at the band’s offician launch show for What Burns he Best on March 14 at Bunk Bar.
-Eric Tegethoff