The Doll Eyes – “The Great Runner Up”
The Doll Eyes have been one of my favorite Providence bands for a couple of years now. Which I think is saying a lot because we think Providence has such great bands. We may go on about the Connecticut bands but there’s a wealth of talent in Rhode Island, too. And not to put down the other states; we take Boston having great bands for granted, by now, and we’re just getting familiar with Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Maine.
This is their second release and their first was a favorite of mine for quite some time. My expectations were high and I’m glad to report they met them. Unfortunately, Phil McCafferty, who came from the great band The McGunks, is no longer with them leaving to do his solo thing, as he had a lot to do with the first album he is missed but the other singer/ guitarist/ songwriter Nate Shaw had a lot to do with the success of that album, as well. And here on this album bassist Mike O’Shea adds a lot of vocals and songwriting and rises to the occasion, also. And I’d be amiss to not mention the walloping beat of drummer Gary Traylor.
The Doll Eyes style is punk, more traditional and street punk influenced than hardcore with a bit of alternative added, too. Their songs have the energy of early punk with the harsh, gargled vocals and sing-along choruses of street punk.
“That’s Why” is passionate, gritty street punk that does remind me of The McGunks. A chopping, hard pushing beat; ringing, atmospheric guitars; a raspy vocal pleading for redemption in a fog of misery. “That’s why you haven’t heard from me/ Didn’t want nobody to see/ That’s why you haven’t heard from me.” A guitar lick that reiterates the plea then the instruments fall out, ‘cept the drum keeping the steady beat. The vocals declare once again, the guitars sing out once more, the chords surge upon the song and the drums end it while the guitars, like the feelings, reverberate on.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/Track 7- That’s Why.mp3|titles=That’s Why]This song combines the verse of “Heartbreaker” by Led Zep with the chorus of “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar. Oh, if only we were so lucky! But in fact, this is a pretty terrific song and sounds more like an early English punk song with the Doll Eyes own spin on it. “Think I’m gonna, think I’m gonna, break somebody’s heart to night.” You got me convinced.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/Track 2- Heartbreaker.mp3|titles=Heartbreaker]“Walden Woods” is my favorite song on the album and right now my favorite song on the planet. There’s a sense of urgency and desperation here and instead of their usual Pixies influence it’s more an influence of The Replacements I’m hearing. But like a lot of the Doll Eyes songs it speaks of someone in dire straits, in an unsure or unhappy place, kind of like a blues for modern times. “I knew you were trying to kill me/ I knew you were trying to kill me….And I couldn’t let you go!” That is the chorus that is catchy but made more ominous by the echo-y wooh-woohs in the verse leading up to it.
The guitars are growling, chomping at the bit, the vocals gargling on glass, “Swallow me down to Hades,”- the bass like a bloodflow through the veins, the drums like a steady, insistent plea. A couple of choruses than it explodes into a gorgeous, glorious double noted guitar solo that just shreds apart my heart. First ascending toward the sky than descending into the depths of Hades. I still can’t make it through this song without crying and I’m not sure exactly why, I’ll leave that for the critics, but I love this song and it’s one of my favorite songs on our site.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/Track 5- Walden Woods.mp3|titles=Walden Woods]“Abandon” starts with some lonely chords and a slow back beat. Soon, though we’re off to the races and then a chiming guitar brings us to an almost hardcore like chorus, “How do you live, does it make you feel abandon? / How do you give, does it make you feel abandon?” An energetic, propulsive beat that eventually leads to a cutting guitar lick with some dissonance tossed in like a spit ball at the end of the phrase. Then a repeated guitar lick that breaks out to lead the race to the finish. “Don’t you want this to end?”
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/Track 6- Abandon.mp3|titles=Abandon]The Doll Eyes hit another bulls-eye with their latest release. It is punkin’, it’s propulsive, it positively poppin’ a passionate pulchritude of pure, positive proportions past any ill-conceived positions of past pleasing prime proponents.
I say I like it.
I think you will to- Hey, Hey, Hey.
(Slimedog)
