by Kris Handel (@khandel84)
Oh Dang hail from New Orleans and Big Dogs is their second full length. Oh Dang takes a big step forward on their latest, while remaining eclectic and delightfully quirky in countless ways. The band are adept at creating a good time and playful jaunts, adding a little sour kick with an underlying unease in their exuberant outbursts. Tyler Ryan and Harper Bowman trade vocals and bring different characteristics to the band as Ryan’s country drawl shares some similarities with Jason Molina and Will Johnson, while Bowman’s vocals have a warmth and beauty that sparkle and pop out of the speakers. Ryan, Bowman and multi-instrumentalist Eric Anduha have the ability to range from ramshackle Americana to bursts of noisy grunge and shoegaze while sustaining a lighthearted and lively spirit.
On the rootsier side of things are songs like “Year after Year” and “Fires,” where Ryan’s quivering vocals carry a heavy weight and hit the mark with raging guitar juxtaposed with quiet introspection. The former track’s broken sway and mournful melody creates a compelling atmosphere for the song’s tale of an isolated and hapless character filled with anxiety and depression. “Fires” is a dusty lope with crying pedal steel, circling acoustic guitar lines, Ryan’s warble being paired with Bowman’s reserved tones of sadness and regret. Here, the songwriters deliver an emotional heft, reckoning with feelings of isolation and how to move on with lines like “Sifting through these broken records/collect what I have left of you/I could try hard to forget but it feels like I should suffer too…”
“No Worries if Not” kicks off with a wiggling guitar line and a jumpy rhythm section as Ryan and Bowman’s vocals combine harmoniously to steadily storm forward in a Pixies/Diarrhea Planet/Royal Trux style. Ryan’s trembling, crackling vocals and Bowman’s bright style mix seamlessly here as the song staggers and wobbles without toppling into disarray. “Harddown” has a dark “grunge-gaze” feel to it as guitars careen and swirl in a bit of quirky stutter, squiggling between fractured dual vocals and jutting chords. Oh Dang unleash their wildest urges here while sticking to ear-worm melodies and fluctuating song dynamics, as their playfulness really comes to the fore.
Oh Dang challenge themselves with the task of balancing bright, good-time melodies while acknowledging hardship in a heartfelt manner without getting too bogged down in melancholia. These songs flow well and have an enjoyable looseness that counteracts the more sensitive and occasionally haunting moments of doubt and darkness. The contrasts in differing vocal textures and musical twists create a palpable energy and excitement; a true strength of the band. This record shows Oh Dang putting everything together in a tidy and fun package that you will find yourself coming back to, finding something new to explore with each listen.