The Doxies | Weight of Gold (Emergency Umbrella)

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The Doxies | Weight of Gold (Emergency Umbrella)

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Written by Jason Green Friday, 01 July 2005 00:00

Wilco’s first foray into pop, 1999’s Summerteeth, is an obvious starting point for this album, especially on the piano-drenched “Sixteen and the Sea” and the chirping lead guitarwork and lazy vocals that highlight the dreamy pop of “Smile.”

A few years back, I ventured down to the local record store and picked up my first Sleater-Kinney CD. I eagerly popped the disc into the ol’ home stereo, wandered across the room to work on some much overdue homework, and promptly ignored my latest purchase. A few minutes later, I couldn’t help but think that whatever this was I was listening to, it certainly didn’t sound at all like I expected S-K to sound. The songs were fast, poppy, and I was fairly sure that there was a guy singing on it. I discerned enough lyrics to do a quick internet search, and discovered, to my horror, that despite CD labels and booklets to the contrary, Blink-182’s Cheshire Cat was burned onto my copy of All Hands on the Bad One.

I was sure the same trick had been pulled on me when I slid in the Doxies latest, Weight of Gold. The Columbia, MO, quintet’s last record, 2003’s Tinderbox Tragedy, was a steaming hot slice of Midwestern cowpunk and the occasional ballad, a 10-song love letter to late-80s Replacements and early Uncle Tupelo. Expecting the Doxies’ patented brand of alt-country, I was instead greeted by a quickly strummed acoustic guitar drowning in spacey keyboards in a near-perfect homage to the sunny pop of Wilco’s “I’m Always In Love.” Had I been duped again?

The Doxies have decided to branch out with Weight of Gold, and they make it clear right off the bat with “Checking In and Checking Out,” a pleasant, acoustic-based track that plays like Loaded-era Velvet Underground, a connection made even more apparent by the very Doug Yule-esque vocals. Wilco’s first foray into pop, 1999’s Summerteeth, is an obvious starting point for this album, especially on the piano-drenched “Sixteen and the Sea” and the chirping lead guitarwork and lazy vocals that highlight the dreamy pop of “Smile.” The Doxies haven’t forgotten how to rock, either, if the driving, Strokes-ish “Kid Don’t Know” or the dirty blues riff and haunted organ of “Hurricane Eyes” are any indication.

The constant style shifting on Weight of Gold leads to a schizophrenic but ultimately very pleasant listening experience. An entire album’s worth of cute pop like “Crows and Jays (This Bird Flies)” and the wonderful duet “The Last Dance” would be too much of a good thing, but framed as they are with the rollicking “Iron Skin” and the echo-drenched guitars of the anthemic “Alibi,” it just plain works. A few songs skate by without leaving behind much of an impression, but the overall feel is that Weight of Gold is one big, confident step in a new direction. | Jason Green