UTP Album Review - They Ask Me Why My Room Is So Immaculate And Clean
Shane Bua Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 at 1:32PM In his last review, Link said I'd have this thing up weeks ago. I maybe lied. Or I got writer's block. Or I'm lazy. Choose.
Anyway. A few weeks ago, The Dopamines released their third full length (and second on It's Alive, after a brief stint with Paper + Plastick), Vices. I've given it several listens since, lambasted over getting only one color press instead of two, slept till noon a bunch, and I now feel that I'm properly ready to talk about this album.
A lot of comparisons have been made saying that this album was the day after/hangover to Expect The Worst's party. And it definitely makes sense. Whereas the latter was all about being pissed up at the upper-middle class and singing your lungs out, this is a deeper look into disappointment, frustration, and anti-depressants. The entire chorus of "Useless" points it out the best:
Medication, please be sweet to me/Medication, take a hold of me
If you're a fan of the band, you'll recognize "Heads Up Dusters" from last year's split 7" with Dear Landlord. "Don't Mosh The Organ" touches upon the frustration and disappointment that I mentioned on earlier. Worth noting, this song also has a really weird fade out-fade back in during the end of the song that almost ruins it, but not quite. Just seems really out of place, though similar to the vocals on a track from the new Black Breath album.
Has the sound of the band changed since we last heard from them? Not really. And if so, not as drastically as it did between their self-titled debut LP and Expect The Worst. The only thing that's really changed is the tone of the lyrics. This is more looking at yourself in the mirror and going "what the fuck am I doing with myself?" However, on the flipside, the title track looks back through the hangover and thinks "yeah, that was pretty cool".
Pressing information: 1000 LPs, 100 green (Interpunk exclusive), 100 red (No Idea exclusive), 100 white (It's Alive exclusive), 100 yellow (Hot Topic exclusive), 600 black. 1000 CDs as well.
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