Slaughter Beach Dog release their third album Safe and Also No Fear. With the help of a full band, this album is able to expand on the organic sounds Slaughter Beach is known for. But unlike past records this sound is elevated in a way that makes it sound atmospheric and rounded.
The atmospheric rounded sound is accompanied by dark lyrics, painting the album to be one of heavy-feelings. The darkness is further emphasized in the fact these songs present no resolution. This choice in leaving these songs open-ended allows listens to connect with the emotion rather than the story.
Two of the darker tracks on the record are “Black Oak” and “Petersburg”. “Black Oak” focuses on the theme of drunk driving. While “Petersburg” seems to follow a character stuck in a routine hoping for something to come in by surprise to cause a change.
Tracks like “Dogs” and “One Day” have a focus on anxieties. With “Dogs” looking at if from the perspective of the character depending on his friends to help him out, and “One Day” looking at the character’s anxieties and fears as something he can overcome even through dark times.
While the album title Safe and Also No Fear seems to paint a picture for this album to be upbeat, the tracks that make up this record are actually dark. Maybe the title isn’t meant to accompany a theme of positivity but in fact a theme of living life day by day and facing the challenges it throws at the character.
