The Dagons
Upon the Dull Earth
Dead Sea Captain Records
It’s pretty neat when a band consisting of only two people and a few instruments can create something interesting within their self-imposed confines. And it’s even cooler when a group keeps it going for a long period of time. Los Angeles duo The Dagons – a half-man, half-fish creature – continues its unique blend of gothic, psychedelic, garage pop on its fifth full-length, Upon the Dull Earth. Guitarist-vocalist Karie Jacobson sweetly sings her hypnotic lyrics in a deliberate manner that makes you believe her, even when she repeats “I am not nice/ but I am true/ what the world does/ I won’t do” on the fuzzed out “I Am Not Nice.” Drummer Drew Kowalski seamlessly peppers sitars throughout the album, including the funky “Zero Years” and the upbeat “Lucky/Unlucky.”
But that’s not the only way the newlyweds are able to keep Upon the Dull Earth fresh for 15 tracks. The super catchy, surfy “Gone” and slithering “The Party” are standouts. The Church’s Steve Kilbey would be proud of “The Switch” – the closest thing the Dagons have got to a slow dance number.
“Albatross” closes Upon the Dull Earth a couple tracks later, the lumbering instrumental bringing a haunting finish to the ethereal album.
The Dagons: http://www.dagons.net
