I was quite taken with the ramshackle sound of Dog Is Blue's 2011 album, Tortoise, so it's pleasing to note they haven't become tight and professional on their new EP, She's Lying. The duo includes guitarist and chief songwriter Paul Watson and multi-instrumentalist Laura Heaney, and they take turns on lead vocal duties. Their stylistic self-description is "garage folk," though to these ears it has more of the lo-fi rock'n'roll feel of a Jonathan Richman, for instance.
Opening cut "Laura's Song (She's Lying)" is a short and sloppy track featuring cheesy cheap keyboards and slapdash vocals from Heaney. Watson takes over with "Haunt Me Now," his deadpan delivery complemented by spooky keyboards evocative of a low-budget sci-fi movie score, and the pair then harmonize in charming fashion on a cool cover of Robyn's "Dancing On My Own," an EP highlight. Also likely to put a smile on your face is their take on Beach Boys tune "Aren't You Glad," while things are closed out with the profane slacker philosophizing of "People (Fuckum remix)" a remake of a song off Tortoise.
Lightweight and disposable? Sure. Fun? Unequivocally, yes.
(Zunior)Opening cut "Laura's Song (She's Lying)" is a short and sloppy track featuring cheesy cheap keyboards and slapdash vocals from Heaney. Watson takes over with "Haunt Me Now," his deadpan delivery complemented by spooky keyboards evocative of a low-budget sci-fi movie score, and the pair then harmonize in charming fashion on a cool cover of Robyn's "Dancing On My Own," an EP highlight. Also likely to put a smile on your face is their take on Beach Boys tune "Aren't You Glad," while things are closed out with the profane slacker philosophizing of "People (Fuckum remix)" a remake of a song off Tortoise.
Lightweight and disposable? Sure. Fun? Unequivocally, yes.