Heading down to San Diego for Taking Back Sunday and then catching a Greyhound back to LA was not the business this weekend – five hour trip home took everything out of me and I’m still not 100% as I sit here dodging religious door to door salesmen while listening to Dugout’s Where There Used To Be Meaning. With the incessant knocks at the door I had to put this pop punk record at a low volume but even then, it was enough to get my heart pumping.
Somewhere New Found Glory and Broadway Calls had a baby and they named it Dugout. An odd choice for a child, but to each their own. It’s not a glamorized session with these guys, for their sound is raw and not so pretty but they wear it well. Songs like “Sudden Death In Pennsylvania” and “Shame” showcase their imperfections and grit while maintaining an edge. However, they can soften up and that’s what made “Alone In The Company Of Others” one of my favs on the record. They also put both sides together in “Foresight/Hindsight” in what I like to call their most creative piece.
Pop punk albums are coming out faster than Kardashian spin-offs nowadays, but at least bands like Dugout won’t make you regret binging on their music. If you’re into pop punk that’s not processed and more on the real side, check out Where There Used To Be Meaning, out now on Painted Ox Records.
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