Glam rock and psychedelic pop are two genres associated with excess. They tend to be ornately produced, and they tend to be played by people on drugs wearing colorful clothes. But Eugene duo Dr. Rocket, despite blending these two genres, takes a spartan approach to its music. There are few superfluous instruments, and the production is consistently minimal and bone-dry. The songcraft feels vintage, but Dr. Rocket sounds very much like a modern rock record.
This acts as a fail-safe against sounding too much like their influences. One band they sound an awful lot like at times is Of Montreal, another band that holds David Bowie and the Beatles to an equal standard. Singer Nick Noemi’s creamy yelp is uncannily reminiscent of that of Of Montreal mastermind Kevin Barnes at times, especially on the theatrical ditty “Love Game” and the sad-sack breakup ballad “I Was A Fool.” But you’d never mistake the two. Of Montreal is a notoriously indulgent band, both sonically and lyrically. Dr. Rocket is all about restraint.
At times, Dr. Rocket feels more punk than anything else. This has in part to do with sonics: “I Never Knew You Like That” has a throbbing eighth-note bassline that wouldn’t be out of place on the Pixies’ Doolittle, and the guitar riff that opens “Nothing Else To Do” brings to mind the Ramones. But it has more to do with Noemi’s lyrics. He never sings a single word a nine-year-old wouldn’t understand, and most of his lyrics have to do with love or partying or sitting on the couch. This isn’t music made by someone on a different astral plane but a very real twenty-something who does laundry and has shitty breakups.
It’s interesting to hear the sonics of glam and psych-pop in such a decidedly non-glam, non-psychedelic production setting. “On Your Own” benefits most from this: it’s the sort of ’60s-style pop song some acidheads might have slathered with harpsichords half a century ago, but its spare production allows its pop smarts to shine through. Still, it would be nice to hear the duo cut loose a bit more. Many of the best moments here happen when the band goes off the rails, as on the nearly 8-minute Broadway blockbuster “Diamonds.”
Apparently, drummer and engineer Mason Kline holed up so long in the studio mixing Dr. Rocket that he couldn’t even show up for performances. This isn’t uncommon in pop. The Beatles and Brian Wilson both opted to stay in the studio to focus more on the sonic possibilities of their equipment rather than wasting time on tour. Those musicians both went batshit, gobbling psychedelics and hiring as many string ensembles as possible. It seems like Kline was just figuring out how to get the guitar sound right.
Listen to Dr. Rocket’s “Nothing Else to Do” below.
Review: Eugene’s Dr. Rocket plays glam and psych-pop with a punk approach
Daniel Bromfield
October 6, 2015
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