Deformer
After a series of disfiguring rearrangements and amputations, Seth Smith and Nancy Urich ripped out the heart of their band and split for the country. They hid away for the winter. Nancy figured out drums. They got chickens. And after some time, they learned to forget about the city and to get by fine with just each other.
They had long pondered the idea being only two; now they would finally do it. Naturally, Seth would keep writing the songs Dog Day fans wanted, but the new approach would be raw, the production back to basics. Without the bells and whistles, the sound would be way more driven. They’d start their own label and screen print the records again. They’d keep it all loose and fun. Real people maneuvers that make a band the real deal. Things change, and after all that’s come before, this is Dog Day right now, evolved to a musical being that is finally a clear reflection of its hosts. The art is now just the life. What more could be asked for?
Even with the overwhelming amount of music being made these days, the ability to write decent songs and emote honest sentiment is still rare. Dog Day have always stood out in this regard, and Deformer demonstrates it better than any past record. The new two piece drum and guitar, wife and husband approach lets the songs shine bright. Deformer is simple and raw in that way that can only come through some kind of earned rock and roll wisdom – being weirdly obsessed for too many years.
So here we have the deepest Dog Day fantasy yet. Dark, powerful songs of love and hate, the forest, the sea, dreaming… the deformation into a gang of two.
01. DAYDREAM
02. PART GIRL
03. EUROZONE
04. I WANNA MIX
05. WHAT SHE SAYS
06. SOMEBODY
07. POSITIVE
08. SCRATCHES
09. BLUISH GREY
10. NOTHING TO DO
11. MR FREEZE
12. IN THE WOODS
Scratches EP
From Toronto Star…
This is what too much travel does to you: it’s only been in the past few days that Dog Day’s new EP, The Scratches, out for more than a month, has totally taken over my waking life.
The three-song 7-inch – available individually or as part of a coloured-vinyl subscription series from cool Halifax indie Noyes Records – is the first recording to feature the band’s newly pared-down, two-piece configuration of Seth Smith and Nancy Urich since “Final Fight” surfaced online last year. That tune signaled the end of a smashing Dog Day quartet that was, unfortunately, already splintering before it had a chance to truly dazzle Canada and the world at large with 2009’s incredible (and incredibly overlooked) Concentration album, but Smith and Urich seem to be doing just fine on their own. “Scratches” and “Belle” are racing, lo-fi, guitar-and-drums stompers that bristle like Smith’s earliest Dog Day recordings on 2005’s Thank You, yet still leave you haunted by the same doleful melodicism that made Concentration and its just-as-good predecessor, Night Group, such unendingly addictive listens. The even rawer “Give Me Light” doesn’t offer much actual light, but speaks once again to the clarity of vision found in Smith’s songwriting no matter how fuzzy the delivery might be.
1. Scratches
2. Belle
3. Give Me Light
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Elder Schoolhouse
12″ 2009 Divorce Records A Limited editon 12″ 45 vinyl only release. Side one is a recording session with Rick White at his Elder Schoolhouse home studio. The second track Dark Day he wrote specifically for the band. Side two is a 12 minute noise jam between Seth and Nancy in tribute to a lost friend. Produced by Rick White. TRACK LISTING:
- Ritual
- Dark Day
- Concentration
- Synastry
- New Beginning
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Concentration
CD/LP 2009 Outside/Black Mountain “The third album from Halifax’s Dog Day, Concentration, may feel uncomfortable at first but it is a courageously capital “A” album in an era of singles. Spreading the pop/post-punk tension and angst across a broadened instrumental palette, it is both familiar and completely alien.” -Exclaim
- Happiness
- Neighbour
- Wait It Out
- Stray
- Saturday Night
- Rome
- You Won’t See Me On Sunday
- Judgment Day
- Youth Of Destruction
- Don’t Worry About The Future
- Peace
DOWNLOAD: FUNDOG
Night Group
CD/LP 2007 Tomlab/Black Mountain “Night Group is a serious throwback to the Halifax/Windsor scene’s early ’90s heyday, when bands like Thrush Hermit, Super Friendz and Hardship Post populated the scene. Most songs float along dreamily, despite Spidle’s insane quick-lick drumming style. This is a more modern Halifax sound, though, punctuated by effortless gems like “End of the World” which echoes like Eric’s Trip covering Interpol. The title track is a keyboard-laden pogo dream, while “Sleeping, Waiting” feels like Lou Barlow smiling. Much like the drifting female doo doo’s that open “Oh Dead Life,” the band’s best quality is the lazy, lulling nature that initially blurs the tight songwriting.” -Spin Magazine TRACK LISTING:
- Lydia
- End of the World
- Oh Dead Life
- Career Suicide
- Know Who You Are
- Vow
- Gayhorse
- Night Group
- Sleeping, Waiting
- Defeat
- Great Pains
- Bright Light
VIDEO: Oh Dead Life | Lydia
DOWNLOAD: iTunes | Zunior | eMusic
FUNDOG
Lydia 7"
7″ 2007 Tomlab/Black Mountain Music Single for Lydia taken from the Night Group full length.
- Lydia(remix)
- Bullet
Oh Dead Life
CD Single 2007 Tomlab/Black Mountain Single for Oh Dead Life taken from the Night Group full legnth. The B-Sides include the original single edit Lydia that is co-released on 7 inch format. Ironhide is points back to the pop sensibility of Thank You and Bullet is a good reminder of the dark side of this band.
- Oh Dead Life
- Lydia (7″ Version)
- Ironhide
- Bullet
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Borden Sessions
Cassette 2006 Divorce Records A short run cassette split w/ Husband & Knife.. Features 3 unreleased tracks recorded by the infamous Stand Borden. TRACK LISTING:
- Hammertown
- Scavenger
- Bad Mom
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Thank You
CDEP 2005 Divorce Records A self-recorded EP that started as a CDR demo. It carved out an indie-rock niche that combined tight, cut and paste pop structures, melodic girl/boy singing, morose lyrical content. Produced by Seth Smith TRACK LISTING:
- Use Your Powers
- Love Makes It Mad
- Sleeping On Couches
- Zombie
- Thank You But No Thank You
- Sharp Teeth
- …
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