SINGLE REVIEW: danger dog – Pissant

‘…A fan favourite and the closing statement to their live sets, this recording does justice to the live legacy of ‘Pissant’, and makes it incredibly easy to imagine a world in which danger dog are the next emo favourites…’

Is it the dog that is in danger? Is it the dog causing the danger? No, it’s the four-piece midwest emo band based out of Liverpool, danger dog.

Last year saw the outfit release their debut EP, ‘From the Comfort of a Yellow Tent‘, which saw another batch of their already extensive back catalogue recorded for your listening pleasure, yet as somebody whom has managed to stumble across the outfit playing live seven times, one could not notice a distinct omission from the EP; the fan-favourite ‘trumpet one’ that served as the closing track of their sets. However, danger dog are merciful in their nature, and have not kept the masses waiting for long; ‘Pissant‘ is here.

The track commences with little more than folkish twanging guitars and the plaintive vocals of Harry Hemming, as they muse over their own perceived pitifulness. Gradually, the track builds, with the first addition being that of simplistic yet effective percussion and bass; it lends the track a distinctly cinematic feeling. Then in a clever twist, the rhythms drop out, leaving both just Hemming and the guitar once more, before plunging into a stunning climax segment.

With an infectious melody composed of simplistic backing vocals and rousing brass, the climax of the track is pure emo perfection. It commands you to sing-along, as Hemming shifts gears and delivers shouted vocals that crack with a raw and weighty melancholy; it’s an incredible contrast of free-spirited joviality, and intense, anxious isolation, making this beautifully cinematic moment of musicianship instantaneously and unforgettably memorable.

This feels like an important release for danger dog. A fan favourite and the closing statement to their live sets, this recording does justice to the live legacy of ‘Pissant‘, and makes it incredibly easy to imagine a world in which danger dog are the next emo favourites. It is hard not to view this as the closing of the band’s first chapter, which took them from proclaiming their love for animated movie ‘Surf’s Up’, to their debut EP. If there is any justice, then they’ll be playing dive bars across the American midwest before long.

I’m still calling it ‘the trumpet one’ though.

For Fans Of: saturdays at your place, Stay Inside, American Football, Origami Angel, Kerosene Heights, Michael Cera Palin

Featured photo credit belongs to @stupricecine.

Follow the band on social media:

Instagram // Spotify