Dad Patrol - Pleaser
Self-Released
Released June 30th, 2023
The New Brunswick Music scene has always been a weird one - with its small population dispersed across three distinct cultural hubs, two official languages, and deeply conservative politics, NB musicians tend to stay off the beaten path of the hegemonic Canadian music landscape - and that might just be its secret weapon. NB musicians tend to be uninterested in current trends, and make music that often flies in the face of what’s happening in the rest of the country. The scene pays no attention to what’s “in” and just does as it pleases, which results in some truly innovative and weird music.
No better example than Dad Patrol’s debut full-length Pleaser. The 10-track opus is as powerful as it is playful, with a Primus-like grit and groove, but also reminiscent of early Man Man, Mother Mother and Modest Mouse. This is headbanging, foot-stomping guitar rock delivered with intensity and exuberance.
The Fredericton quartet has spent much of the last two years playing high-energy live shows around the Maritimes, building a loyal fanbase that were perfectly primed for Pleaser. The band wisely captured a thick signature drum sound at Shiftwork Recording (with NB legend in the making, Dylan Ward), and recorded the rest themselves, an impressive feat given the high level of production they were able to achieve.
Vocalist Gregor Dobson once listed Mac Demarco, Mother Mother, Motherhood, Dream Theatre and musical theatre as their primary influences (you can’t make this stuff up), which can perhaps help explain the breadth of sonic territory covered in Pleaser; it flits between prog, pop, funk and blues like a hummingbird on psychedelics. In unskilled hands, this album could have been a mess. But Dad Patrol manages to rein it all in to create something that is cohesive and compelling.
Lead single “Honey Bunny” is direct and catchy; even with the mathy swandives of each chorus, the track is accessible and has an almost classic-rock vibe. The tight groove of the verses compliment the exasperation of the lyrical content, conveying the frustration of giving more than you get. Delivered in Dobson’s signature growl, “Honey Bunny” brings the listener through the souring of a relationship and the righteous contempt that comes afterward.
“Don’t act confused, when you’ve got nothing left to lose / I’ve gotten used, accustomed to the shit you do / so if I were you I would find someone new to chew, Honey Bunny”.
Although each track is full of swagger and personality, the stand-out track is “Thr33:Thirt33n”, an enigmatic skronk-rock piece that describes mental illness as much with words as it does with the erratic composition. The vocals twist and turn through rhythmic shifts before giving way to a 2 ½ minute instrumental math-rock outro. The vocal delivery is masterfully unhinged, allowing the song to perfectly embody an anxiety attack.
Themes of rejection, mental desperation, and death stretch across the entire album, floating an emo haze over its otherwise strident sound. Dad Patrol’s greatest strength is their clever use of dynamics, tone and composition to elevate the lyrics and create a second layer of meaning behind each line. Their ability to connect the dots shows skill well beyond their years; as they continue to develop and hone their influences, it’s clear that Dad Patrol will be an exciting band to watch, and Pleaser is a great way to start.
- Penelope Stevens
