Category: Jacob Cook

  • ALBUM REVIEW: LOTTO – They Are Gutting a Body of Water

    ALBUM REVIEW: LOTTO – They Are Gutting a Body of Water

    Words by Jacob Cook

    Bandcamp

    LOTTO is the newest release from the Philly shoegaze outfit “they are gutting a body of water” (henceforth, TAGABOW). Released October 17, this newest project marks their latest since Lucky Styles, released in 2022 (oddly enough, their past 3 projects have been released on October 17th, 3 years apart). Their frontman, Doug Dulgarian, has been quite vocal on the album’s close connection to his daily experiences and how it presents itself as “my attempt to surface through a sea of false muck” (KERRANG). 

    The project kicks off with “the chase” along with its heavy and atmospheric instrumental. Heavy “walls of sound” are briefly relieved with echoey melodies, only to return to the crushing intensity of shoegaze-y style riffs. The lyrics feel almost haunting with their deadpan delivery while addressing addiction in the context of relationships. Dulgarian’s description of a partner witnessing another’s relapse as “the me she remembers, the promising mirage of water in this cruel desert,” still sticks in my brain like gum on the bottom of my shoe—certainly not the lightest of tracks (both sonically and thematically), but still an incredible opener.

    Another favorite of mine off this project has to be “rl stine.” As a shoegaze fanatic, this track is ear candy of the sweetest order. The way that different tones are layered on top of each other gives this track such an interesting texture (especially how they achieve this nice blend of echoey and fuzzy tones during the verses to let the drums and vocals shine through). The heavy “wall of sound” portions feel perfectly executed, bringing incredible intensity without seeming gratuitous. I also love how Dulgarian draws upon frequent encounters with a man whom he always buys cigarettes for, knowing that he’ll likely trade them for drugs for lyrical inspiration (especially in the context of his own addiction). This track has so much depth and personality; it has to be one of my favorites on the project.


    Immediately following “rl stine” is my favorite instrumental from the project, “slo crostic.” What I like about this track is that it breaks the traditional mold of a shoegaze track. You still get the signature distorted tones and riffs here, but there’s a notable emphasis given to the drums and bass, letting them all share the limelight. A lot of modern shoegaze seems to put so much emphasis on the guitars to the point that the rest of the instrumentation falls flat, but this track presents a lovely break from this formula. While I don’t think this track is earth-shattering, I think it serves its role well and avoids a common pitfall that irks me in the modern shoegaze scene.


    The next track “violence iii” sits up with “rl stine” on my favorite tracks on this project. While I think it can be somewhat reductive that many shoegaze tracks/albums get compared to my bloody valentine, however, this track scratches a similar mbv-shaped itch for me. The sampling combined with the soft vocals during the verses combined with the crushing riffs during the choruses feel like something I would find off projects like Loveless. The transitions between the echoey plucked guitar sections and the distortion-heavy riffs feel so satisfying that I cannot help but stop and bask in them each time. As a shoegaze lover this track delights me to no end and is by far my favorite on the project.


    Not every track on this record is a total hit for me, “BAESIDE K” being a perfect example. This track falls into a pitfall that a significant portion of modern “heavy” shoegaze acts fall into, namely, it lacks personality. The riffs just feel super generic and tire themselves out quickly without ever making much of an impact on the listener. TAGABOW does such a great job of layering sounds on previous tracks, but we don’t really see that here and instead just get this constant sound for the whole 3-minute runtime. It’s not the worst song I’ve ever heard, the problem is that it sounds like every other “heavy” shoegaze-revival track made in the past 5-10 years.

    To bring this review to a close, TAGABOW is one of the more interesting shoegaze acts of recent years for their level of depth both lyrically and instrumentally. The vast perspectives and anecdotes that Dulgarian draws on for his vocals are harrowing and masterful. I love his ability to string together euphemisms and metaphors to relay some of the darkest parts of human experience. I loved how the group situated different tones and effects in their instrumentals to give each track a unique texture and flavor. A lot of recent shoegaze acts seem to neglect this point leading to a 40-minute album where all the tracks blend together, lacking any firm distinction between them. TAGABOW does well to avoid this pitfall (mostly), which sets this project apart from the current oversaturated shoegaze landscape. 

    RATING: 8/10

  • REVIEW: Skeletá by Ghost

    REVIEW: Skeletá by Ghost

    Written by Jacob Cook

    Skeletá – Ghost (via Bandcamp)

    Skeletá is the newest project by the Swedish heavy metal/arena rock group Ghost, led by lead vocalist Tobias Forge. The group is known for their theatrical approach to their art with Forge portraying the pope of a satanic church and his fellow musicians as nameless ghouls. Skeletá is the sixth studio album from the group and is hot off the heels of their concert film Rite Here Rite Now which released in spring of last year. 

    “Peacefield” opens the new record and era for the group in dramatic fashion with melodic and grandiose riffs alongside Forge’s booming vocals. The track is a clear turning point both sonically and lyrically with more pop-oriented sounds and hooks, a sign of what’s to come later in the track list. Forge did an excellent job of bringing his signature passion and energy to the vocal performance along with fantastic instrumentation that carried that energy well. The same cannot be said about the songwriting here though. “This is what dreams are made of [t]his is what they’re afraid of” is reminiscent of a Disney musical tune, nevertheless, there are far worse offenders later in the record. Notwithstanding this, I didn’t think this track was a terrible opener.

    It’s hard to talk about this project without discussing the first teased single, “Satanized.” Many times, when experiencing new music, it takes a few listens before it really grows on me, but this track had the opposite effect. The more I listen to this song, the less it appeals to me, specifically the choruses. I don’t think it’s a complete flop, as it certainly has its high points. I loved the guitar aesthetics and the solo midway through scratched that 80’s rock/metal itch. Additionally, I thought the Latin chanting in the interlude portion of the song added a nice thematic touch (even if it was brief). While Ghost is known for their theatrics, this track felt too over-the-top and got old quite quickly for me.

    On a more positive note, I found the fifth track, “De Profundis Borealis,” to be quite enjoyable. I loved the soft keys during the intro that gave way to powerful crashing percussion that unfolded through the rest of the track. The choruses and verses felt very well executed, not too over-the-top but still catchy and melodic. It feels like a breath of fresh air coming off the excessive first half of the record. By toning down the theatrics slightly, it let the percussion and lyrics shine in a new and refreshing way. I thought this track was a unique formula tweak that paid off well (which unfortunately cannot be said about the next track discussed) making this track one of my favorites on the record.  

    I don’t think I can discuss this record in good faith without referencing the elephant in the track list, namely, “Missilia Amori.” To put it briefly, this one is rough. There’s nothing groundbreaking instrumentally here with the group’s typical sound and aesthetic. Further, I thought the percussion was quite uninteresting compared to what we heard in “De Profundis Borealis.” Forge has written some lyrics of questionable quality in the past, but “[l]ove rockets, shot right in between your eyes” and “[m]y missiles are aimed to launch at your heart” are certainly strong contenders here. This whole track gives off cheesy 80’s hair-metal vibes in all the wrong ways. If you’re looking for a 4-and-a-half-minute laugh (or cringe) this may be for you.

    The final track I wanted to discuss was “Marks of the Evil One.” This track scratches a unique itch that I had been waiting for throughout the whole record. One reason I love Ghost is Forge’s ability to construct a track around a concept or period (this is especially evident on their previous project, Prequelle). I loved how biblical themes and imagery of death is portrayed here and it is catchy. This track is energetic and is reminiscent of my past favorites from the group. I would kill to see this one performed live as it’s super fun and infectious. 

    Putting it bluntly, this project was a bit disappointing, with its primary weakness being songwriting.  Tracks like “Missilia Amori” were tough listens, and others like “Satanized” played themselves out with how over-the-top they were. Additionally, Forge’s comments leading up to the album, like “I didn’t really put much like regard into trying to write” (Rolling Stone) only soured my perceptions of those tracks. While the instrumentals were fine for the most part, they’re nothing we haven’t seen from a Ghost project in the past. Maybe my strong attachment to previous projects like Impera and Prequelle set my expectations too high for this project, but I just wasn’t wild about it. It is important to note this record is the first of theirs to reach #1 on the Billboard 200, so it’s possible I’m out of touch with these takes. However, I will say that in comparison to those previous projects, the group chemistry doesn’t seem to be quite there. Forge’s comments in Rolling Stone saying “I’m technically a solo artist. I don’t have to think in terms of a group, but everybody needs to understand that my job is a group effort” (Rolling Stone) lead me to believe that that chemistry might be gone for good. Time will tell how the group’s sound evolves but this one just wasn’t it for me. 

  • REVIEW: Radio DDR – The Sharp Pins

    REVIEW: Radio DDR – The Sharp Pins

    Written by Jacob Cook

    Radio DDR – The Sharp Pins (via BandCamp)

    In late March, Radio DDR, the second studio album by Kai Slater, was newly re-released under the moniker Sharp Pins. Originally recorded in the spring of last year, the record was released on cassette but is now seeing a full release on LP and streaming (with an additional 3 tracks). Far different from Slater’s work in art-punk group Lifeguard, his solo work takes on a more lo-fi pop-rock sound.

    I particularly enjoyed the energy and liveliness of the fourth track, “If I Was Ever Lonely.” This track perfectly encapsulates that 1960’s British invasion rock that flavors the instrumentals and aesthetics of this record. The guitar tones feel incredibly fuzzy and warm here and, when combined with the brilliant percussion, make for an incredibly fun listen. I also loved the romantic themes playing out on this track. They’re not quite as on-the-nose as in tracks like “Lorelei” but they communicate that feeling of love-stricken desperation so well. This track has a ton of character and is super fun which makes it an easy favorite of mine.

    Another favorite of mine is the proceeding track, “Circle all the Dots.” I really enjoy how Slater communicates melancholy through his music and this track does so exceedingly well. Slater describes a fading romance in this track through his poignant lyricism and riffs that intensify during the vulnerable choruses. I really enjoyed how Slater characterizes the growing schism in the relationship as a physical gap between them in the choruses, at one point even questioning if he actually wants to be with this person (“Do you want her [o]r are you dreaming?”). I highly recommend this track to any melancholia fans.

    The next track, “Sycophant,” is another phenomenal showcase of Slater’s unique melancholic sound. Unlike other tracks, this one is a somber acoustic cut with a lone guitar backing Slater’s soft vocals. This track feels incredibly vulnerable recounting the emotional damage for both individuals in a failed relationship. I loved the lyric “I’m the only one that knows you now” that closes out the second verse in reference to the sycophant. This last line felt so incredibly poignant. I found the acoustic aesthetic of this track does very well to draw your attention to the incredible lyrics and vocal performance. If you listen to no other track on this record, I’d recommend this one.

    Another personal favorite of mine is “I Can’t Stop.” I really enjoyed the conflicting emotions and yearning that Slater communicates here. There’s an interesting shift from the first chorus where he regrets thinking of this person; to bearing to think about them in the second; then being completely unable to stop thinking about them in the outro. As with many other tracks, Slater uses that familiar fuzzy guitar tone giving the track a nostalgic feeling. Overall, I found this track was just a fun listen with a unique mini narrative that underpins it.

    Finally, I found the closing track “With A Girl Like Mine” to be quite enjoyable. This one is a bit on the softer side with the familiar guitar aesthetic but without percussion giving it an almost folksy sound. I really enjoyed the vocal performance here, especially the choruses, which sounded wonderful. The whole track felt reminiscent sonically of “A Hard Day’s Night” but with that sweet melancholy that Slater has delivered previously. I think this is a fantastic track to close out the project.

                   From start to finish this project is incredibly fun with its unique and nostalgic sound. Fans of old-school rock and the soft ballads of groups like the Beatles will find this project very familiar with quite a bit of character. I absolutely loved Slater’s playstyle and production on this record. The warm guitar fuzz and soft percussion made each track sound warm and pleasant. I found the melancholic acoustic cuts interspersed throughout the record to be incredibly well written both compositionally and lyrically. Slater’s lyrics felt incredibly poignant yet subtle, letting the listener fill in the gaps with their own experiences. By far my favorite track on the record was “Sycophant” with its beautiful acoustic instrumentation and soft heartbreak-tinged vocals. My least favorite track was “Lorelei” as it felt very on-the-nose and uninteresting lyrically, but to say this track takes away from the record would be inaccurate. This record was my first introduction to Slater’s work and to say that I’m impressed would be a great understatement. If you’re in the market for a soft rock/pop record, this record is a perfect candidate with a ton of personality.