Dowsing

OKAY

Written by: PP on 10/10/2016 23:30:39

After a string of depressive record titles like "I Don't Even Care Anymore", "It's Still Pretty Terrible" and "It's Just Going To Get Worse" etc, twinkly original emo revivalists Dowsing appear to be finally feeling better about themselves on their third full-length album "OKAY". The explosive, Midwestern punk style album opener "Wasted On Hate" immediately suggests they are louder, and more driven by punk rock than ever before, even if the opening lyrics to the record are literally a roar of "Punk is dead, and all your friends will be soon single-handedly ousted by the signal boosting youth sent to destroy [...] they built you up, just to tear you down, they divided us!. Gone are the sparkling emo melodies that recalled the likes of Tigers Jaw or The Get Up Kids, now replaced by coarse, scratchy vocals that echo the likes of Red City Radio or Signals Midwest in their punk-fueled attitude. Even genre legends Hot Water Music are referenced on a couple of tracks.

"I'm feeling better!", a loud and optimistic chant opens the next track, "Feeling Better", simultaneously pivoting Dowsing even further into the realm of Midwestern punk than on any record to date. The faster tempo, the rougher production, and the rifftastic guitars are a definitive improvement on what was often a far too minimalistic and introverted take on emo on past records, even if glimpses of that past are still present in songs like "Born To Soar". But even here, the higher budget allocation of an Asian Man Records album ensures the song is not just loud, but also expansive and uplifting in its tone. It's arguably the cleanest and softest track on the record, however, it would've hands down drowned out most other Dowsing tracks in the heavy/loud categories had it been included on a past record.

All of this is, of course, fantastic if you're a Midwestern punk fan. The introverted emo/Midwestern pop fans are practically thrown under the bus occupied by loudly roaring, flannel-dressed beard punks waving their flags sky high, so your opinion on "OKAY" may depend entirely on which camp you belong to. For the undersigned, the louder and punk-fueled version of Dowsing is a far more interesting listen than the occasional post-rock twinkles and soft croons of their past work. More of this, please.

Download: Wasted On Hate, Feeling Better, Grunge For Life, Finally Ghost
For the fans of: Red City Radio, Iron Chic, Typesetter, Signals Midwest
Listen: Facebook

Release date 29.04.2016
Asian Man Records

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