Album Review: The Dwarves – Concept Album

On their fifteenth studio album, the Chicago punk outfit The Dwarves rumbles through multiple subgenres on Concept Album. As the name implies, the record doesn’t simply settle for a single style but expertly explores all of them. 

“Blast On” may be the perfect introduction to an album. It’s got an out-of-order NASA countdown with stereotypical space sounds, which is absolutely hilarious. The yell of the song’s title at the end signals the start of a rock explosion.

Concept Album quickly runs through a bunch of rock genres. It starts with “Feeling Great,” a mid-tempo track with a classic rock riff combined with electronic elements and some easy drawl from lead vocalist Blag Dhalia. But seemingly out of nowhere, three high-flying tracks, “Voodoo,” “Terrorist” and “Ages Ago.”

“Ages Ago” is a rounding resolution against a former lover, reiterating that their love has been over for a while. The tempo changes slightly with some incredible drumming paired against fast guitar work and the beach-rock fall-off. The lyrics themselves fit the theme easily.

 “It ended ages ago / I do not love you so / I don’t want you no more.”

If the classic rock vibe was missing, it’s spread throughout the album on other tracks like “Dead To Me” and another lonely track “Nobody and Me.” This song has the right groove, with some small bass flourishes and Dhalia putting on his best Arctic Monkeys’s Alex Turner impression with an aggressively tinged vocal pattern.

However, the best song on the record has subtle metal influences and pushes it over the edge to greatness. This track has to be “Do It All The Time.” With distorted guitar giving a dark edge to the song and the small ending solo that winds its way through the track, Dhalia can keep a talk-vocal sense without pushing. 

The lyrics start by talking about weed, then the Nightmare Before Christmas drawl starts to contort into a critique of one’s actions. 

“I’m not really gonna give a thorough explanation / Blow this all to kingdom coming, igniting up the nation.”

Overall, The Dwarves Concept Album goes beyond just a simple concept, further running with the idea and it is working – they should “Do It All The Time.”