On the first day of July 2012, Wil Wagner (frontman of The Smith Street Band) performed Laika for one of the very first times. There were whispers prior to the show concerning a sad song about a damn dog, and word was that this tearjerker would earn young Wagner some sort of troubadour status. Fellow onlookers got restless as the strumming began and he softly sang, “From here in my cage, see them make plans, hear them reassure investors, shake presidents’ hands.” If you’re unfamiliar with the ‘50s space race, Little Curly was a mongrel from Moscow that was given the worldly task to be the first animal to orbit Earth. The name Laika was assigned prior to the euthanasic departure it received on the Sputnik 2 spaceship. There is no doubt that Wagner has written a sincere song about the Soviet space stray but there is more to the Laika record than the title track.
Wagner’s enthusiasm to his right hand in his strumming patterns and swift vocal melodies will assure you that the pace of this acoustic record isn’t the same stable tempo. Eviction Notices and I’m Not Gonna Lie To You are upbeat examples that attest to the “woah and oh” type sing-along anthems this record offers.
The relatable subject matters that surface throughout Laika provide the thought-provoking questions that leave you guessing why you took up to smoking cigarettes and why you can’t come to terms with growing up. If you’re an anxious and frazzled 20-something with a nail-biting habit or even the slightest bit of a narcissist, you will certainly find comfort in these songs. It won’t necessarily help you get your shit together but you will most likely appreciate the common ground.
BY MATT MARASCO
Best Track: More Like Signals Midbest
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: JAMIE HAY, FRANK TURNER, SUNDOWNER
In A Word: Kinda-Sad
