Taking it’s name from the Buzzcocks track, Dot Dash re-discover themselves with mighty album release 16 Again
Dot Dash present their 12 inch vniyl release 16 Again, (also available via Bandcamp and Spotify) a collection of fifteen previously released tracks with the addition of a brand new cover (Television Personalities’ Jackanory Stories).
With album artwork that pays direct homage to the aforementioned punks The Buzzcocks, Dot Dash offer their brand of high-energy nostalgia infused indie rock.
Full of cheerful hooks and jangly rhythm sections, 16 Again feels youthfully sentimental. Opening with Forever Far Out, intensely reminiscent of Teenage Fan Club, Dot Dash set an upbeat, coming of age movie soundtrack ready theme.
Each song is a short burst (most coming under or just over two minutes) of energy, with hooks like “you gotta have a heart to have a heart attack” (Tense & Nervous.) Cheerful in their expression of uncomfortable sentiments, Dot Dash are teeming with a magnetic charm.
This charm is aided by the band’s self deprecating promotional quote, ‘a greatest hits album from a band with no hits.’ It’s hard not to beg to differ, listening to 16 Again.
A little bit of early The Cure (think Boys Don’t Cry) and a tinge of 70s energy (Blondie’s Parallel Lines) with an overall taste of 60s new wave make for plenty of hit-worthy moments, including the bittersweet Airwaves.
With a sound that could easily have been plucked from any of the above decades, TV/Radio is a prime example of Dot Dash’s carefree collective personality and amalgamation of influences.
Leaning into melancholia, Tatters sticks out as a broken-hearted yet resigned standard. Bringing the tempo down and leaving space for the vocals gives us a glimpse of the underside of Dot Dash’s usually invigorated persona.
The b-side of the record shines with (Here’s To) Ghosts of The Past and the Jackanory Stories closer. For such a lengthy album, 16 Again remains cohesive and captivating. Despite acting as a re-release under a new label, Dot Dash feel brand new and ready for more.
Listen to 16 Again in all its glory below.
