Back in 2018/2019, I was in Los Angeles networking with fellow musicians. I've met some pretty amazing bands, one of which are Dog Particle. These guys take the raw, chaotic energy of the alternative 90's and make it their own. With their debut album, 'You Should Smile More', it definitely shows. From the ominous opening bassline of 'Floor Tiles', to their final track 'People's Elbow', Dog Particle provides this kind of raw, disorderly take on rock that I personally haven't felt in a long time.
I don't know what I expected when I was told to listen to this album; but when their opening track 'Floor Tiles' began playing, I was completely thrown off. You see, there are bands out there today who are all about making sure every aspect their albums are clean and polished before release, and then there's Dog Particle. We go from melodic verse, to perfectly uneven explosive sound, and back again all in the first track. As soon as that opener ends though, you know exactly what you're in for.
It would be hard for me to pick a favorite song, but the one that stood out the most is definitely 'Shadow of Your Bones'. Listening to it now, it gives me a sense of nostalgia, making me think back to my senior year of high school when I first discovered punk rock. These are the kinds of songs that are the most memorable. They're the ones that make you feel, or bring you to a better place. I give props to Dog Particle for bringing me back to that place.
In closing, 'You Should Smile more' is an album which reminds the listener that rock isn't dead, but only sleeping. Dog Particle may have not woken it up yet, but I get the feeling that they're certainly not going to stop trying any time soon. That's what makes them so good, and it's what made the grunge/alternative era of the 90's so memorable. These guys didn't care if they weren't neat, or if their sound was unkept. They were going to blow your eardrums out and have fun doing it. Their second album can't get here soon enough.
Band Members:
Jake - Guitar/Vocals Hektor - Bass Chrischan - Drums
