Dog Trumpet look to the present, then the past on new album Shadowland

Words by Sam Beros

Iconic Aussie rock behemoths Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty show that they’ve still got it on their new album, Shadowland.

There’s no denying the roughness and uncertainty of the present we’re in, and the band sure as hell aren’t straying away from it.

Shadowland expresses the creeping fear of our constant surveillance and the slow degradation of our privacy. No More Travelling well captures the dull tragedy of the pandemic. Fucking Idiots is a sharp middle finger towards those that abuse their power, but also a question of desperation. Do we humans rely on something out there to know how to live right? Are we incapable of saving ourselves?

While starkly in the present, Shadowland also takes time to reflect back on the past. Nina Simone looks back on a love that blossomed from a shared moment listening to its titular singer; the track is sweetly nostalgic. Back Room overviews their musical journey, from Mental as Anything to here, and finds that no matter what happens they’ll still be here, playing their songs for us.

Front to back, Shadowland is a pleasant wash of blues-tinged pop psychedelia. As a band, they’re tight as ever. Instrumental track Olive Hollow gives the group a chance to show off many a tasteful melody, and the dual solos that break up the ballad Will It Yet Be Thus serve as a much-needed cradling hug.

With its roots firmly in the present, Shadowland still manages to feel comforting and nostalgic in all the right ways.

Off the momentum of the album, Dog Trumpet have embarked on a national tour across Australia, bringing their unique flavour to Melbourne later this week. Their Queensland leg was a resounding success, and all signs point to the streak continuing.

Tickets are selling fast – pick them up before they disappear: