Many people can agree that it’s hard to find excellent and authentic American punk music nowadays – not since well-known bands like The Clash, The Ramones, The Stooges, and The Velvet Underground, coining the phrase, “Punk is dead.” Modern punk today is said to have gone too pop and sounds whiny. But Boston alternative band, Underdog tarnished the “punk is dead” phrase with their album “Ether Dome.” The infusion of nostalgia, energy, and raw talent into the album guarantees that many people will appreciate the classic yet modern touch and rock out.
Underdog consists of the founding members Scott Ferguson (Guitar, Bass & Vocals) and Bryn Carlson (Lead Guitar, Drums, Bass & Vocals), joined on stage by bassist Aram Heller and drummer Harry MacKenzie.
The most beautiful thing about the garage rock album is the rowdiness of it. Rock isn’t itself without the head-banging effect. Something is wrong with you if you aren’t banging your head or swinging your hair when listening to the album, especially to the songs “Storm,” “There Goes the Neighborhood,” and “Muscle Car.”
The guitar solos in practically every song are impressive, proving each member is a professional at what they do. Carlson does not hold back in showcasing his talents with the guitar when soloing. The tortured guitar sounds are exotic and satisfying!
The thrashy instrumentals and the ferocious vocals make the album the epitome of punk (pre and post) because of the amount of muscle in the sound. When it comes to authentic punk rock music, the sound must be strong, bold, and raucous because that’s what punk is and supposed to be. Punk is supposed to be rebellious and riotous – riots aren’t quiet, that’s for sure!
True fans of the punk rock community will appreciate Underdog – their sound in “Ether Dome” takes punk rock back to its original roots, something many of us haven’t heard in a long time. This album is truly unique, and we can’t wait to hear more music from Underdog.
Written by Taylor Berry
