slaughter beach dog – Alternative Press Magazine

Slaughter Beach, Dog are still growing up

Sean Fennell — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:30:00 +0000

Jake Ewald’s stories are almost never true. Not completely. As the primary songwriter and frontman for Slaughter Beach, Dog, Ewald is consistent in his ability to refract his life through the prism of experience outside of his own, to whisper down the lane that is collective existence until observation becomes its own form of empathy.

There are times, though, when the membranes thin and a little more of the truth is allowed to shine through; a quiet show in a packed church in Philadelphia, the moment the wheels start to rattle as you and your band turn down the homestretch of an eight-minute single, when an icon and hero calls to talk about your oldest lyrics. Ewald does his best to see these flashes for what they are: a deep breath, joy, a moment to recede. His music has always tried to grapple with the entirety of experience, and, as its name suggests, Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling is no different, but there’s a little less control this time around, a little more trust, leading to some of the best songs Slaughter Beach, Dog have ever produced.

Ewald’s story begins back in the early part of last decade, when he and Bren Lukens started Modern Baseball, a totem of 2010s emo that, among other things, helped birth the Philadelphia label Lame-O Records and establish the city as a hotbed of DIY success. Sports remains the high point of that part of Ewald’s career, a heartfelt, wordy, and tightly coiled album that continues to find new fans a decade on.

Right around the time Modern Baseball called it quits, Ewald began releasing music as Slaughter Beach, Dog (an homage to the Delaware shore point of the same name). This marked not only a change of name for Ewald but a fairly distinct difference in the kind of songwriting he was interested in. Where Modern Baseball are all frayed nerve endings and late-night confessions, Slaughter Beach, Dog displayed more direct literary ambitions, his first LP taking the form of a pseudo-concert record. “I had literally only ever written songs about things that had happened to me,” Ewald told Atwood Magazine a couple of years back. “When I wrote the songs on Welcome, it was definitely an exercise in creating a universe and inhabiting that universe. It was kind of like a challenge that I set for myself.”

When I spoke with Ewald recently over Zoom, we talked a lot about this kind of shifting perspective, and how important it is to him both within his own work and the art and storytelling he best responds to. “By writing from different perspectives, I just make a lot of personal discoveries because I’m forcing myself to think in a way that I would not normally think,” he says. Of course, even that has shifted over time. His approach may be less direct on early Slaughter Beach, Dog records like Welcome and Birdie, but they were rooted in the kind of experiences a young man living in a city like Philadelphia might encounter. “My friends don’t need jobs/‘Cause they all sell drugs/And spend their Fridays setting fire with their college degrees,” Ewald sings on Welcome cut “Jobs.” Birdie standout “Acolyte” picks at similar scabs (“Man, it cuts like a dull knife/When you’re young and you’re told/“It makes sense when you’re older”/Darling, let’s get old”).

2019’s Safe And Also No Fear marks a turning point in that regard. Not only do Slaughter Beach, Dog sand down the punkier edges of their sound, but they are intent on mining darker corners of their psyche. “I remembered that around the time of SAANF, I was obsessed with the idea of Serious Art, and being perceived as a serious artist who could tell serious stories,” Ewald wrote recently in his newsletter Pause For Effect. Songs like “Black Oak,” a nearly seven-minute murder ballad, are quite far from the jilted lovers and lonely losers of his work on Modern Baseball, stretching outside of personal experience for something grander. That said, Ewald can’t help but laugh a bit at all that self-serious gloom. While he certainly doesn’t disown any of those songs, he does look at things a little differently now, aiming to blend emotional depth with something more natural on Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling. “We were able to express ourselves in a way that didn’t feel contrived or like we were trying to climb Mount Everest,” he says.

I first got a chance to hear a good chunk of the record last December when Ewald played an acoustic show alongside bandmate Adam Meisterhans at First Unitarian Church, a Philadelphia venue of much regard. In that space, with its lined pews, soft lighting, and vast sound, the songs came across as just that: natural, unaffected, and, at times, genuinely funny. “Sister In Jesus Christ”’s many asides include meathead baseball players, BDSM, My Chemical Romance shirts, and a cheddar and spinach omelet, its jaunty flow perfectly in step with its subject matter. Also evident during this hour-plus set was how much that laid-back sound comes from Ewald’s always-shifting listening habits.

The days of basement shows and sweaty mosh pits might not be fully behind him, but he is certainly welcoming a rootsier, more homespun palette into the band’s sound. Covering both Townes Van Zandt and Blaze Foley, pillars of outlaw country, might not be something you can imagine from Modern Baseball but very much feels like the logical evolution for this version of Slaughter Beach, Dog. If their excellent 2020 record, At The Moonbase, was their boozy, Stones-inspired romp, this is their exploration of what happens when John Wesley Harding meets Lucinda Williams. This is heard most readily in a song like “Summer Windows,” a lazy, finger-picked stroll down the alleys of regret and longing. “I felt like I was finally beginning to understand the melodic and lyrical phrasing that is more in line with a lot of the folk-rock and country stuff that I was listening to,” Ewald says. “I had been internalizing those forms a lot more than I realized.”

This progression is not only logical but, when you think about it, pretty inevitable. Sure, you can tell stories within every musical framework, but when considering the arc of Ewald’s career, you can’t imagine it ending up anywhere but alongside these folky masters of the vignette. “My favorite thing about trying to write from different perspectives is that it creates the opportunity for surprise,” Ewald says when our discussion once again turned toward the importance he places on finding new ways into the human experience. “The coolest part is that whenever it clicks, and I’m deep enough in the world, I might stumble upon something that I would not have thought of.”

Ewald’s goal might have been to find a way out of his own head lyrically, but, whether he meant to or not, this largely extended to the record musically as well. There is, to put it bluntly, less Ewald on this record than any other in the band’s catalog. He will always be a verbose songwriter, but there are far more instances of him receding into the background than ever before. And it makes sense. At The Moonbase was, by and large, a solo endeavor, made during COVID-19 and written and recorded mostly by himself. Perhaps due to the circumstances, this was also his most micro-managed pursuit. Ewald would record and re-record in search of perfection in a way that became exhausting.

Ashley Gellman

The reins were loosened significantly this time around, lending itself to the ramshackle sound the band were able to produce. “A lot of times when I’ve made records, it felt like trying to put together a puzzle or do math,” Ewald says. “This one just felt way more comfortable. We just settled into this groove that was more relaxed and more open and free in a lot of ways.” When asked how he, as the leader of the band, can work to create this atmosphere, he gives an answer that is revelatory in its simplicity. “The way for me to encourage that was to just sit back and let everything happen. It’s a humbling thing to realize that if I just shut up for five minutes, they can make something really, really good.”

Ewald may be downplaying his own contributions, but it is important to note how incredible his band sounds playing behind him. Part of that is familiarity. Bassist Ian Farmer has been playing with Ewald since Modern Baseball days, and multi-instrumentalist Zack Robbins, keyboardist Logan Roth, and guitarist Meisterhans seem perfectly in tune with what Ewald is reaching for. Then there’s the newcomer, vocalist Erin Rae, who is, in her own right, a wonderful songwriter and contributes backing vocals and harmonies to nearly every song on Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling.

Ewald always knew he wanted another vocalist on the record, and when Meisterhans introduced him and Rae, the match felt pretty perfect. “It was a total breeze, and I feel like she really tied the record together in a cool way,” Ewald says, who seems blown away by the ease of the whole process. “I didn’t even have specific things I wanted Erin to do, but I had a feeling that she would have the right ideas.” Even as a relative outsider, Rae was taken aback by how laid back the recording atmosphere was. “Their studio space is so cool. I think that made such a difference, how comfortable and relaxed it all was,” says Rae. This all comes together on a song like “Float Away,” the catchiest song on the record and one of the best the band’s ever written. It’s the kind of simple, timeless tune you can imagine wafting from highway-bound car windows or snaking its way through patio furniture for years to come, and it’s not something Slaughter Beach, Dog could have written before now.

“Every record is about growing up — we all have to get a little older before we make the next one.” Those are the words of Craig Finn, songwriter and frontman for the Hold Steady, and they come at the end of the bio he wrote for Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling. Ewald still can’t quite believe how this all came to pass. He’s been a fan of Finn and his songwriting for years, but it was upon hearing that the feeling was mutual that Ewald thought he might be interested in writing something about Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling. What resulted is a winding, conversational exploration of what it means to be a distinct songwriter in a band, something they both know a lot about.

I asked Ewald specifically about the idea of growing up and whether he considered this record a testament to the growth of him and his band. He said he hadn’t, really, till he read those words from Finn, but identifies one specific moment that could have never happened if not for the years the band have spent together. Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling is anchored by “Engine,” a nearly nine-minute song that weaves stories of stolen vans, endless tours, and existential angst among sun-cracked guitar solos and honey-slide jam-outs.

Ewald’s initial demo for the song was barely half that length, but each time they played it, the band let it stretch and breathe. They found new life in the glove box and inspiration stuffed between the seats, relinquishing control, easing the foot off the break. “It’s an amazing reminder of the things that you can do with music,” Ewald says. “And the only reason it exists the way that it does now is because we let it come into its own. You have to create the kind of vessel for it to live inside of — you have to make that space for it.” If Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling is that vessel, Slaughter Beach, Dog have filled it to the brim.

This is what it would sound like if Modern Baseball covered blink-182

Rachael Dowd — Wed, 06 May 2020 01:26:34 +0000

If you ever wondered what it would sound like if Modern Baseball covered a blink-182 song, look no further.

On Monday, May 4, a style cover of blink-182‘s “First Date” emerged onto YouTube. Created by YouTuber NoseBlind, they have taken the classic blink-182 track and reimagined it with some Modern Baseball-influenced sounds.

See more: 16 memorable band photos

[envira-gallery id=”186668″]

The Fest adds the Menzingers and other news you might have missed today

Alternative Press Magazine — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 03:19:59 +0000

The Fest has announced their lineup including the Menzingers and so many more amazing artists—plus, don’t miss Stick To Your Guns on tour with Counterparts and watch a new live video from Architects. Check out the news you might have missed today below!

Read more: Hear Death Cab For Cutie’s dynamic new song “Gold Rush”

The Fest adds the Menzingers and the Get Up Kids to 2018 lineup

#FEST17 and #prefestybor6 complete lineups have been announced!! Save $25 if you get you 5-day combo pass by July 1! https://t.co/s364GbvcCc pic.twitter.com/eDJpMPFdbf

— The Fest (@thefestfl) June 11, 2018

The Menzingers and the Get Up Kids were just added to The Fest’s 2018 lineup. After dropping the initial lineup back in April, the Gainesville festival added even more bands to join artists such as Lagwagon, Signals Midwest and Prince Daddy & The Hyena. For a full lineup and to purchase tickets, you can visit The Fest’s website here.

Stick To Your Guns and Counterparts announce tour

UK! We’re coming back with @counterparts905 this December! Tickets on sale now. pic.twitter.com/0KAbqZKPCn

— Stick To Your Guns (@STYGoc) June 13, 2018

Hardcore bands Counterparts and Stick To Your Guns just announced a joint headlining U.K. tour. You can see a full list of dates below. Grab your tickets here.

Dates:
12/09 — Bristol @ The Fleece
12/10 — Birmingham @ The Asylum
12/11 — Leeds @ Church
12/12 — Glasgow @ The Classic Grand
12/13 — Manchester @ Gorilla
12/14 — London @ The Dome

Sparrow Sleeps release lullaby renditions of Modern Baseball songs

Coming soon… #MB pic.twitter.com/NIpS5ZtSKY

— Sparrow Sleeps (@SparrowSleeps) June 4, 2018

Known for covering pop-punk songs in a “lullaby” fashion, the duo are at it again with You’re Gonna Sleep So Long. From Modern Baseball’s You’re Gonna Miss It All, Sparrow Sleep’s newest release is sure to calm your nerves and send you off into a dreamy slumber. You can listen to it here.

Slaughter Beach, Dog announces tour

Hello america, we are going on tour this fall. Buds all around. East coast shows are with the mighty @xthinlipsx and the rest of the shows are with fresh rockers @Glad_eee. Tickets here: https://t.co/zdDUy95Dt1 pic.twitter.com/XtduhLkGVz

— Slaughter Beach, Dog (@beatsbydog) June 13, 2018

Jake Ewald of Modern Baseball’s side project Slaughter Beach, Dog just announced a North American tour with Thin Lips and Gladie. You can see a full list of dates below and purchase tickets here.

Dates:
08/23 — Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
08/24 — Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
08/25 — Philadelphia, PA @ Philamoca
08/26 — Long Island, NY @ Amityville Music Hall
08/28 — Washington, D.C. @ DC9
08/29 — Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
08/30 — Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
08/31 — AtLanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn
09/01 — Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
09/02 — Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
09/04 — Austin, TX @ Mohawk
09/05 — San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger Downstairs
09/07 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
09/08 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge
09/09 — Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
09/11 — San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
09/13 — Portland, OR @ Siren’s
09/14 — Seattle, WA @ Barboza
09/15 — Vancouver, BC @ The Roxy
09/17 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
09/18 — Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Lounge
09/20 — Kansas City, MO @ The Rind
09/21 — Davenport, IA @ TBD
09/22 — Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
09/23 — Detroit, MI @ The Pike Room
09/25 — Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s
09/26 — Toronto, ON @ Hard Luck Bar
09/27 — Buffalo, NY @ Mohawk Place
09/28 — New York, NY @ Rough Trade

Architects premiere live video of “Doomsday”

Filmed at London’s Alexandra Palace last February, Architects released a video performing their song “Doomsday.” You can download or stream the single here.

ERRA release new single “Disarray”

From their upcoming album, Neon, ERRA released their latest single “Disarray.” The single also has a music video, which you can watch above. Neon will be out Aug. 10. You can preorder your copy of it here.

Bishop Briggs announces tour

SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE NEW HEADLINING DATES FOR THIS FALL!!!! TIX ON SALE THIS FRIDAY!!! Here’s all the North American tour dates coming upppp pic.twitter.com/kojSM8VFWB

— Bishop Briggs (@thatgirlbishop) June 13, 2018

Folk-pop artist Bishop Briggs just announced a headlining North American and European tour. North American dates are listed below. You can pick up her debut album Church Of Scars and see a full list of dates here.

Dates:
06/17 — Montauk, NY @ The Surf Lodge
06/19 — Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
06/20 — Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
06/22 — Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest
06/23 — Hamilton, ON @ Tim Horton’s Field
06/24 — Millvale, PA @ Mr Smalls
06/26 — Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
06/27 — Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
06/29 — Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest
06/30 — Tinley Park, IL @ WKQZ Piqniq
07/01 — St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
07/03 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
08/28 — Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
08/29 — Edmonton, AB @ The Palace
08/31 — Palmer, AL @ Alaska State Fair
08/31 – 09/21 — Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival
09/04 — Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
09/05 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Theatre at Ace Hotel
09/09 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
09/13 – 09/16 — Victoria, BC @ Rifflandia Festival
09/14 – 09/16 — Denver, CO @ Grandoozy
10/05 – 10/14 — Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music festival
10/20 — Monterrey, MX @ Live Out Festival
10/26 – 10/28 — Live Oak, FL @ Suwannee Hulaween

Muncie Girls premiere “Picture Of Health”

U.K. feminist pop-punk group, Muncie Girls just released the first single from their upcoming album Fixed Ideals. The album will be out Aug. 31. Watch “Picture Of Health” above.

Super Whatevr announce co-headlining tour with King Shelter and Beach Goons

WE’RE DOING OUR FIRST HEADLINING TOUR. THE “HAPPY TO BE HERE” TOUR! We’re happy to announce a west coast (for now) run with @KingShelter & Beach Goons !!! We’re trying out a “rotating bill” so check your date to see when we play TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY 10AM PST. SYS pic.twitter.com/UKXL3RpUhp

— Super Whatevr (@superwhatevr) June 13, 2018

Super Whatevr just announced a co-headlining West Coast tour with King Shelter and Beach Goons. You can see a full list of dates below. Pick up Super Whatevr’s latest album Never Nothing here.

Dates:
08/15 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
08/16 — Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole
08/17 — Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
08/18 — Santa Cruz, CA @ The Crepe Palace
08/20 — Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project
08/21 — Portland, OR @ Sirens
08/22 — Sacramento, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
08/23 — San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
08/24 — San Diego, CA @ The Irenic
80/25 — Highland Park, CA @ The Hi-Hat

Jake Ewald reaches maturity on his second solo record

Alt Press — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Slaughter Beach, Dog

Birdie

ROCKS LIKE: The Weakerthans, Modern Baseball, Pinegrove

WHAT'S DIFFERENT: Like the band that built him, Modern Baseball co-frontman Jake Ewald treats each record from his solo project, Slaughter Beach, Dog, as its own entity: 2016’s debut, Welcome, felt like an unexplored extension of his talent, songs that didn’t fit his band’s ethos. It was a bit mathier, a bit folkier and founded on lyrical specificity—places and people referenced like a diary. The latter is not lost on Birdie, but the music has matured. It’s sparse, country-fueled indie rock. Simplicity tells a story.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: With the future of Modern Baseball uncertain, Slaughter Beach, Dog might be our only outlet to hear Ewald’s idiosyncratic songwriting style. Beyond the necessity, Birdie is a record that teeters an indie/emo line with ease and a sense of hybridity. Press “play” for a sense of melancholic calm.

OUR PICK: “Gold And Green”

Lame-O Records http://lameorecords.limitedrun.com

MoBo’s Jake Ewald talks solo album, closing this chapter of the band’s career

Maggie Dickman — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 02:38:00 +0000

[Photo by: Jess Flynn]

Modern Baseball just rounded off three final shows since they announced their indefinite hiatus back in February. In light of last weekend's heartfelt final performances for the foreseeable future, co-frontman Jake Ewald opened up in an interview to talk more about his side project, Slaughter Beach, Dog, his forthcoming record, Birdie, and what Modern Baseball taught him as he looks ahead.

“Since we got so over our heads near the end of Modern Baseball, the main theme for me with Slaughter Beach, Dog so far has been keeping everything very under control and not agreeing to too much, and not overworking myself, so that it hopefully remains something that I really love doing and I can do for a while,” Ewald tells Billboard.

“I really hope that I can continue making decisions in that way and being able to enjoy it, and keep writing songs and learning from my experiences, and not run myself into the ground.”

Ewald's newest offering explores a different side of his work that he hasn't necessarily touched on in the framework he's built through Welcome and the recent Motorcycle.jpg EP. With Slaughter Beach, Dog, Ewald has found a way to express himself in a way fans have yet to see.

He explains it as “stepping outside of myself a little bit in trying to see myself in the world as opposed to just seeing myself alone in a room,” giving him the opportunity to think more about his relationships between himself and others, breaking down all the different relationships in his life.

On Birdie, Ewald worked with Modern Baseball bassist Ian Farmer, explaining that making a whole record with only one other person, and having that person be one of his best friends, made making Birdie a new—and invited—process for him.

He explains that on MoBo's Holy Ghost, it was the first time the band let go some control and left it in the hands of the producer, and even though it happened similarly with this record, it was different because he was “handing it over to such a close friend.” And as he moves on to his next chapter, he thinks about his past, the relationships he's built and some of the most valuable lessons that he learned.

“It's cool because I look back on everything that we did together, and I can confidently say that I've learned so much from the time that we spent together on the road,” Ewald tells Billboard. “I got to grow a lot as a person in some really difficult ways. I went through a lot of difficult things. I think we all went through a lot of difficult things that we would not have experienced if the band had not been there. But we were able to grow from those things so much. I think if we hadn't done Modern Baseball the last four or five years or however long it was, we would be completely different people.”

He further explains that towards the end of their six year run, things got to be too much. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t look back and appreciate how much they’ve grown as friends and what he's learned through it all. In the end, it's about understanding yourself, knowing when too much is too much and being able to step away for awhile, if that's what's best.

“I think that was definitely the most valuable thing I took away from Modern Baseball—it's important to respect your gut, I guess,” Ewald says to the music source. “If you're feeling like everything is too much, then everything is probably too much, and you should do something about it, even if it's a difficult thing to do. That's probably the biggest thing that I've been keeping in mind looking towards the future.”

Birdie is due out October 27 via Lame-O Records. It's currently available for preorder here.

Watch more: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Modern Baseball

Modern Baseball’s Jake Ewald debuts new solo song, talks more about the band’s future

Maggie Dickman — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 01:57:00 +0000

[Photo by: Jess Flynn]

Modern Baseball’s Jake Ewald released a new solo song today, “Building The Ark,” taken off his project, Slaughter Beach, Dog's, forthcoming EP Motorcycle.jpg, set to be released next month. While talking about his new track, he also details more about Modern Baseball’s future as a band.

“We just said, let's not call it a breakup and make a huge deal about it and have a ‘Last Show Ever’ or anything like that. Let's just take it easy for now, and if we wake up an want to do it again, then let's do it,” Ewald tells the Fader.

Ewald explains that his new EP is more personal, written after Modern Baseball’s tour with Joyce Manor and Thin Lips. While that was written by himself, he explains that he and Modern Baseball’s Ian Farmer worked on recording a full-length that’s going to be released later this year.

“I did all the instruments, and he did all the recording. I'm really proud of all the songs. It feels good,” Ewald tells the Fader. “I feel like I haven't put music into the world in a little while. Me and Ian are really into restraint right now. It'll be a battle in the studio, like, “What else can we not put in this song?”

Listen to “Building The Ark,” taken from his Motorcycle.jpg EP, set for release on July 14 via Lame-O Records, below:

He also explains that the future of Modern Baseball is still uncertain. A few months before the band called the hiatus, they had a feeling that things were not where they should be.

“When we made the decision to slow down, we already had a lot of tours booked. We were like, oh yeah we can make it through all of this, we'll be fine. But then as we started to be confronted with those tours we realized we didn't know if we were going to be able to go through with all of them,” Ewald explains. “We were so burnt out, and ready to be done with it for a little while.”

He says that although the band brought them so much joy over the years, releasing themselves from the obligation was “an incredible feeling.” And while there is no plan for reconnecting at the moment, he says that if they want it to happen, it will.

“The next time the four of us wake up and really want to do this again, like we want to go have band practice, then we'll fucking do it. We'll do it that day. That's how it was in the beginning; we all loved doing it, and wanted to do it every day,” Ewald says.

“Then we got to the point where we didn't want to do it any day, and that was a confusing feeling. We just said, let's not call it a breakup and make a huge deal about it and have a 'Last Show Ever' or anything like that. Let's just take it easy for now, and if we wake up an want to do it again, then let's do it.”

What are your thoughts on the future of Modern Baseball? Let us know in the comments below.