Slaughter Beach, Dog offers one last slice of summer with Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving
The rays of summer sun begin to dissipate with the release of Slaughter Beach, Dog’s latest record, Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving. The album is chalked full of delightful, melancholic, and fun-loving tracks, capturing a deliciously brilliant representation of companionship and camaraderie. Slaughter Beach, Dog tell stories in a manner that makes their album feel like each track is its own little story told around a campfire. Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving feels warm and welcoming in every single aspect.
Rustic and intimate instrumentation and vocal performance help create the comfortable ambience of Slaughter Beach, Dog’s latest project. Steady drum beats alongside laid-back acoustic and electric guitar serve as the base composition for a majority of the songs. Accompanying keys serve as the cherry-on-top to make each and every track on Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving a wonderful sonic journey. The instrumentation maneuvers perfectly around with lead singer Jake Ewald’s delicately rugged vocal performance. Ewald playfully crafts growls and cracks to his voice that help enhance the folkiness of each and every track. One of the best examples is in the track “Strange Weather;” Ewald sings with little hints of a yodel incorporated in the lines “I don’t want to think about you anymore.” These fun tracks ooze the pure enjoyment and euphoria Slaughter Beach, Dog had while recording them, making the album feel that much more personal.
Slaughter Beach, Dog present astounding lyricism from start to finish in their latest album. The band discuss a wide variety of topics throughout their latest album, ranging from the more humorous sing-alongs to ruminative investigations about past relationships. Regardless of what emotion the group attempts to convey, each track is poignant, witty, and endearing; Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving is lyrical quintessence for the folk rock genre, easily eliciting an emotional response from anyone who listens.
The vibrant, happy-go-lucky “My Sister in Jesus Christ” harbors some of the most jocular lyricism throughout the whole album, making it hard not to crack a smile. In the chorus, Ewald sings that “Mama don’t raise no fools here / We got to rely on each other, my dear / When I’m short on sound advice / I’m counting on my sister in Jesus Christ.” The track discusses relationships, friendships, and religion all in a way that does not take itself too seriously, yet the symbolism and wordplay are still elegantly articulated.The song makes you laugh, the song makes you think, and the song makes you sing-along. The infectious energy radiates throughout every aspect of “My Sister in Jesus Christ.”
The somber tracks throughout Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving are just as hard-hitting as the upbeat ones. The eight minute fifty-three second long “Engine” stands out as one of the most impressive feats throughout the album. Perfecting such an extensive track is not a feat that any band can pull off, yet Slaughter Beach, Dog seem to easily pull it off in their latest album. Every second of “Engine” is compelling and enticing, donning some of the best story-telling throughout the album.
“Engine” discusses loss and discovery both of one’s self and in relation with another. The track establishes how life is fleeting, confusing, and disheartening. Ewald introduces the songs with the lines “When they stole that van / From in front of my house / There was a part of me tied to the engine / Maybe I was the engine.” Sonically, the track sounds wistful and pensive, and Slaughter Beach, Dog draw listeners in with a manner that makes them, too, feel like they’re the engine that’s now long gone. “Engine” is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and a must-listen to track from the band’s latest album.
Crying, Laughing, Smiling, Waving is the perfect title for Slaughter Beach, Dog’s latest album. The elicited emotions range from all of the responses the title suggests to anything and everything in between. While one might hope to sit around the fire and let the tunes go on forever, eventually the flame will go out and the evening will come to a close. Slaughter Beach, Dog’s new record is a wonderful preservation of snapshots of wonderful moments in time that will carry people through all of the seasons, as they sob, giggle, grin, and wave goodbye to the memories that pass.
Photo creds: Slaughter Beach, Dog on Instagram