To many in the Marietta/Alpharetta/Cumming music scene, Dot 22 has been a familiar name for the last three years. Even well before their release of “Bottle Rocket Romance” in February, the band’s name has was associated with clean, fun sets put on by three enthusiastic young musicians. This seven-song record packs a wallop, and sure as shit doesn’t disappoint.
Listen here:
The vocalist, Alex Crain, has a voice that reminds me of an alternate-universe Brendon Urie (of Panic at the Disco fame) who’s an obsessively dedicated Yellowcard fan. It’s fucking great. Bassist Vivian Zingleman proves that playing bass doesn’t have to be boring for the performer or the listener. Lest we forget him, an honorable mention to Aaron Sanders on drums for keeping everything moving along smoothly.
“Bottle Rocket Romance” is a fabulous little EP. I strongly recommend it to anybody looking for something peppy that doesn’t leave you wanting to drive your car off a bridge. The lyrics aren’t anything remarkable, but certainly on par or slightly better than most local groups; their greatest strength lies in the powerfully upbeat music they deliver so well.
The EP is short, sweet, and pretty solid for a sophomore release. First few tracks are super poppy and feel-good, great for driving home from work on a Friday afternoon. When I first heard the fourth track, a youthful love song called “Sentimental”, the pretentious part of me wanted to hate it. Fast-forward to the next morning when I woke up humming it and decided pretentiousness is overrated, I absolutely love it. After “Sentimental” fades off, the tempo picks up for “Poison”, another super-upbeat song that makes a girl feel like wearing a little black dress and breaking a couple teenage hearts.
The last two tracks, “This Is Love” and “Heavy” pretty well live up to their names. Still maintaining faster tempos, the guitar work lends a slower feel to parts of both tracks, providing a pleasant contrast from the frantic pace of the earlier portions of the record. These songs speak to the melancholy young souls suffering the traumatic side-effects of unrequited love.
Overall, Dot 22 put out a great, well-rounded collection of songs that is available for purchase online, for not a lot of money. It’s a great experience, and easily worth the money. It’s almost as great as watching them perform live (which, apparently, you won’t be able to do for a while).