Back in 2019, I reviewed a comeback EP from The Dogmatics: “She’s The One.” I said at the time, “It’s the work of men who do what they love and love what they do. There’s not much you could do five times in 12 minutes that is as fun as this.”
Now OK, my days of doing anything five times in 12 minutes ended around 1989 and probably involved a Vixen video (I probably should take that line out…), but what about 10 times in 24 minutes?
See, The Dogmatics are made of sterner stuff than me.
But, as Clutch would say, let’s get down to brass tacks. “Nowheresville” is their first album in 39 years – you can’t rush these things, can you? It’s also fantastic.
Jerry Lehane is Boston rock ’n’ roll royalty. He and the O’Hallorans, who make up the band, were able to call on Tom Baker, Nervous Eaters’ Billy Loosigian, and John ‘J.G.’ Goetchius of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones to help make this too.
Essentially, it distils rock ’n’ roll into 24 minutes. “Key Of B” even makes a joke about it. Now, I’m not a muso. No talent at all. But a lifetime of listening to music means I know good from bad – and this chugger is perfect power pop.
They’re not stopping there, either. You could have chucked out “You Got What I Want” at any point since The Ramones, and it would have sounded ace. The best stuff doesn’t date – and never has.
“Con Job” gets all Flogging Molly on us – acoustic, fun, and not far off a sea shanty, frankly. Put it this way: Skinny Lister wish they’d done it first.
’60s Merseybeat vibes abound on “Rainy Nights,” and there’s a bit of a sense that they’re just having a pick ’n’ mix of all the music they’ve ever loved.
To that end, “Nothing To Be Learned” has more lip curl than Elvis Costello covering The Knack, and “With A Scarlet Letter” is full of brilliant harmonies.
The whole damn thing is a sugar rush, though. In other hands, “I Can’t Get Over You” might sound maudlin. Not here. “No Likes Or Comments” brings the boogie while lamenting modern social media – and just think, back in ’86 when these boys last released a record, Mark Zuckerberg was two and hadn’t yet become a horny college kid rating Harvard girls on his laptop before destroying the world.
“Library Girl” will resonate with anyone who’s ever loved a girl they don’t even know, as well as anyone who loves punk rock. And “Ball Me Out” ensures that neither the quality nor the insane catchiness ever let up.
Lean, mean, and without an ounce of fat it doesn’t need, “Nowheresville” is magnificent. But please, lads, if you leave it another 39 years, I’ll be 89 – and I don’t think MV will still be going. So let’s get cracking, shall we?
Rating: 8.5/10
