"Thistopia" (The Waste Land) is the first glimpse through dark curtains from Dog Army's sophomore and concept album "Woodwose: Exigence & Exodus". It's been a while since I wrote about Dionne's artistic sensibilities. Last time I likened his artful time traveling aesthetic to "to the English "Murder Ballads" motif that likely started in the 1700's and has been resurrected from time to time in Americana dark folk ways, especially in the 40's, 50's and 60's" and I wrote:
[Dog Army's "Innocent Clarissa", from the creatively possessed sonic auteur's (and author's) debut concept album "Questionable Motives" tears itself apart midway through like a sonic self flagellation. It is so jarring that it feels like an uncontrollable act, like a holy roller taken over by God or the Devil interrupting a sermon.]
[Dog Army's "Innocent Clarissa", from the creatively possessed sonic auteur's (and author's) debut concept album "Questionable Motives" tears itself apart midway through like a sonic self flagellation. It is so jarring that it feels like an uncontrollable act, like a holy roller taken over by God or the Devil interrupting a sermon.]
AND I only bring those past words up because Dionne's cinematic dark folk tales in some ways makes me think of halcyonic Nick Cave but also, and maybe more especially, he purges his stories with the wild eyed abstract passion of a Mike Patton if Patton went more gothic than art rock-esque. I do feel the UK edges of post punk too and maybe like Cave and Patton, in whatever genre you want to describe Dionne's atmospheres as, I feel artful violence and bloodletting.
"They call it crime, but no one cares
It's just the means to get your shareA baby cries for more heroin
Gives a voice to her veins and his mother's sins
Between two buildings hear a shout
It fills the alley then dies out
And I am thinking, as I am fading
And I am thinking, as I am fading
Run away, run away, run away, run away"
The droning strings, rattling acoustic tensions get under my skin and repeated listens might cause my nerves to fray uncontrollably especially as I sit here with a million thoughts about where our country may be headed with a petulant monstrous baby at the helm.
I have no idea of what "Thistopia" means but a Google search prompted this:
"Thistopia" is a term that critiques the idea of perfect societies as inherently flawed. It may also refer to a project that began during quarantine as a way to stay connected with friends through art, music, design, and magic.
Bare in mind that this 'answer' came from AI so incredibly unreliable in my mind.
"Where the trees o'erhang the river
And the starlight can still shineWhere no life is ever wasted
And every death is to survive
Run away, run away, run away, run away
The father is a ghost and a name
He says, you can't mistreat what you never claimed
I'm gonna shed these city-stained clothes
Into the woods where there are no woes"
-Robb Donker Curtius
Dog Army consists of one member who writes, performs, and produces all of his songs. Located in Southern Maryland, he plays multiple instruments through his recordings to accompany the narratives he wishes to tell. Unbound to a single genre, Dog Army creates songs that span minimalist folk to multi-layered rock songs. "Questionable Motives" is his debut album, released in April of 2021, and can be found on any streaming service.
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