Dope Body - Natural History (Drag City)

If you didn’t know any better, you would think that the maelstrom that is Dope Body’s debut album for Drag City, Natural History, was straight out of Seattle circa 1990, with either the name Sub Pop or Amphetamine Reptile to be found on the back cover. In other words, it’s loud, it’s sloppy, it’s sludgy, it’s drunk—it’s grunge! The clear precedent here is Mudhoney, with a little Nirvana thrown in for good measure. Lazy, that description? Not really, no; when you hear the codeine-minded punk of “Beat” and “Lazy Slave,” or the glorious boogie of “Road Dog” and “Weird Motor,” you’ll think singer Andrew Laumann is someone who really knows his Mark Arm, David Yow, and Tad Doyle. His howl is primal, yet he never sounds like he’s having anything less than the time of his life. Yet Dope Body injects enough originality to keep Natural History from becoming boring and trite. If you miss the days when bands sounded this messy, sloppy, catchy, and fun, then don’t miss out on Natural History!