Review Summary: Yep.
Listening to
Okay, the third full length album by Chicago emo band Dowsing left me with a strange sinking feeling. The feeling that I’ve been here before, almost like I’d already heard this album. It dawned on me that this feeling wasn’t actually that strange, as Dowsing have always made derivative samey music. Even in a genre as unoriginal as emo revival, Dowsing have always been one of the least original unoriginal emo bands. Even with all that in mind, it would be unfair to say that
Okay sounds just like Dowsing’s other records, it’s a lot less twinkly and whiny, and a lot more punchy and upbeat than their previous work. However it is fair to say that it sounds a lot like a watered down version of bands like Spraynard or Latterman.
I feel bad for constantly trashing Dowsing because they make seemingly sincere music. Dowsing sound like they’re having a good time on this record, and although the lyrics are derivative, they at least seem to be coming from a place of passion. The problem is that every other aspect of their music is severely lacking.
Okay is basically just kinda sad, but upbeat pop-punk that would have sounded stale ten years ago. The music isn’t particularly catchy or interesting, and the nostalgic/longing lyrics thing has been done so much better by similar bands. Having put out four average records in a row, Dowsing are more frustrating than infuriating. They aren’t exactly bad, but they’re constantly putting out uninspired albums with subtle hints of potential that are disappointingly never realized.
When I started to write this review in my head, it was starting to turn out a lot like my other Dowsing review. I kept wanting to write that the album title is laughably apt, but I did that in my last Dowsing review. I wanted to write how most of the songs sound the same, but I already did that too. Essentially I could have copied my other Dowsing review and pasted it onto this one and it would have been mostly accurate. The only real difference is that Dowsing have gone from being an average emo band, to an average pop-punk band. I suppose it’s a positive that Dowsing have changed their sound a bit, but in the end it’s meaningless as the music isn’t really any better.
