This new record by Auckland, New Zealand indie-rock trio Office Dog, called ‘Prime Corner’, is a dumpster-fire of unpredictable perfection. Ah, well, maybe that doesn’t make too much sense, I guess. I rarely do when I’m this sober, writing this at 9 am before I head to work at noon at Cactus Club. Give me a break; the coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. Let’s try this… The album is authored by frontman Kane Strang while he was playing professional house-sitter in West Auckland, and it is a pretty cool balance of heavy, driving tension with moments so soft they will make you pause and reflect, beautifully capturing the ups and downs of trying to live life as a damn adult the best you can without any instructions.
Musically, the band has that melancholic grit of 90s indie legends like Yo La Tengo and Built to Spill with a little dash of that post-hardcore Slint sound from time to time. Pretty fucking kick ass for me since I love that sound. As far as songs that stood out for me on the release…. well I am writing this after only one listen so bare with me since may favorite tracks may change later! This trio keeps you on your toes by effortlessly shifting gears into “Slowing to a Walk“, a gorgeous sonic breather that proves they can do delicate just as effectively as they can do loud. They are also great at making you feel anxious as fuck with the song “Front Row Seat,” which showcases their love for alternate guitar tunings, wrapping your ears in a beautifully musical vice that feels like you’re trying to assemble furniture from IKEA without the instructions or that “L” shaped tool thing.
By the time you reach the second-to-last track, “Gold Things”, you realize you are listening to a band operating entirely on pure, organic instinct, having captured these tracks in a whirlwind five-day recording blitz around Christmas. Office Dog has delivered a wonderful gem of a record here that takes you on a deep, emotional, and fiercely creative ride from start to finish. Check out this record and give it a spin today!!
Links of interest:
https://www.instagram.com/officedogband
https://ffm.to/office-dog-prime-corner
https://www.flyingnun.co.nz/search?q=OFFICE+DOG+PRIME+CORNER