Model/Actriz approach their post punk and industrial noise tunes with a demeanor that's menacing, unsettling, frantic, and a bit mysterious. This type of music certainly isn't for everyone but if you're in the mood for it, Dogsbody is indeed a solid debut album.
New York's new up and comers Model/Actriz have exploded recently after releasing a sprinkling of music here and there since they formed in 2017. The band recently signed to True Panther records and just released their debut album, titled Dogsbody. This album is anything but light, cheery or pleasant to say the very least. Not just sonically but visually too. You can look up the weird album cover for yourself (there's a reason why I'm using artwork from one of the singles instead). Model/Actriz approach their post punk and industrial noise tunes with a demeanor that's menacing, unsettling, frantic, and a bit mysterious. I get weird vibes coming from lead vocalist Cole Haden. He's an interesting fellow to say the least. He's got a creepy aesthetic in his voice that sounds as if he's about to have an emotional breakdown at any given second. It's the kind of music American Psycho's Patrick Bateman would listen to if it was set in the current day and if he was super into post punk instead of new wave.
There's an uncomfortable feeling that the listener may probably get right away when they hear the album's opening track, "Donkey Show." The sharp, metallic noises sweeping in and Haden's whisper makes my spine chill and when the noisy grooves starts to pick up, it becomes quite a riveting opener. There's also some weird samples pulled in, like a crying baby at one point. "Mosquito" is arguably the album's best track. The lead single is a raging, seductive track that paints the imagery of mosquitos sucking your blood and being plucked out after the insect's deed is done. Its gross factor is ramped up but I can't help but find dark humor into much of the lyrics on the album. The single's chorus, "with the body count higher than a mosquito" is both disturbing and also so absurd that it's written in a song I can't help but find it goofy, which ultimately isn't a bad thing by any means. The next track "Crossing Guard" is also fantastic with its frantic grooves thats surprisingly pretty darn danceable. "Amaranth" is another highlight on the album with even more ear piercing metallic noise stabbing in an out of your headphones with yet another killer groove.
As enjoyable as some of the noisier and "upbeat" much of the songs are, I can't help but lose interest in the quieter, more patient moments on Dogsbody. Tracks like "Divers," "Sun In" and most of "Sleepless" are surprisingly slow burning, gradual, and atmospheric. I appreciate these moments as cool downs within much of the sweaty heat in the track listing, but these songs aren't as enjoyable as I would want them to be. There's an unexpected beauty to some of the elements of ambient music the band incorporates in their slower moments that I find intriguing, but ultimately I just end up wanting to skip them and listen to the faster, noisier tracks instead. I find the ten tracks and 38 minutes of total runtime to be necessary, especially with this type of frantic music.
I think what is mainly keeping me from enjoying Dogsbody more are the overall unsettling, dark vibes along with the multiple repetitious elements within the band's overall instrumentation. As enjoyable as the faster paced noise cuts are, much of them sound too similar to me to keeping coming back to this album in full. It gets to a point where the sound starts to become a little redundant after multiple listens. I could see myself returning to much of the singles a bunch throughout the year for sure. Who knows, maybe it'll grow on me. Also, this type of music that the band is approaching isn't giving me a whole lot of replay value to keep coming back... I just don't find myself being that much in the mood to listen to this a lot. It's definitely not the most accessible post punk record out there despite its catchy grooves but its uncomfortable sound, especially the lyrics coming from Cole Haden, aren't the most, dare I say, fun to listen to. It's a very heavy listen for sure. Even with these critiques, Dogsbody is indeed a solid album and worthy of all the buzz and praise it is currently getting. I totally understand the appeal and hype behind this band and the unique music they make. It's solid, it's enjoyable to a degree, but because of the aesthetic that is presented throughout, I don't think it's something I would be returning to time and time again.
My Rating: 7 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Mosquito," "Amaranth," "Crossing Guard," "Donkey Show"
Commentaires