The Roof Dogs Here You Are

“You’ve been testing out all your angles, your arms and legs are tangled up there in your room,” the Roof Dogs sing on Starpower, the penultimate track from “Here You Are.” Written during 2020 lockdowns, the Roof Dogs’ first LP leans into repetition, drawn out musical passages, and lyrical themes of isolation and fatalism. Musically the album is less concise than previous releases. The songs are longer and are arranged around extended instrumental passages, with lyrics sometimes taking a backseat to the band’s playing. Keyboard instruments rise to new levels of importance, with almost every track including serious contribution from the synthesizer, organ, or piano. Despite these developments in style, characteristic Dogisms such as Maher’s syncopated and groove-heavy bass lines remain. The record was recorded over 2021 between Strange Magic and Jamdek recording studios in Chicago, as well as the band’s practice space and apartments with help of frequent collaborator Tristan Huygen.