Merryn Jeann – ‘Dog Beach’ album review: Polished but indecisive indie pop
THE SKINNY: Contrary to what determined crate diggers and devoted Rate Your Music users might lead you to believe, there’s no shame in polished and playful indie pop. There’s no need to push into experimental territory if your songwriting and production style doesn’t call for it. At the same time, the indie sphere has become all the more interesting for those artists within it who push the boundaries, dragging unwieldy saxophones and strange samples into otherwise mundane guitar soundscapes.
Problems may arise, however, if a record sits somewhere in between those two states, unwilling to lean into sweet simplicity but afraid to commit to experimentation. This indecisive area seems to be where Dog Beach sits. The latest full-length offering from Merryn Jeann meanders between playful and playlist-friendly indie pop and glimpses of stranger stylings – shrieking saxophones and spoken word interludes – without really committing to either.
The record is perfectly polished but potentially too polished for its tentative experimental moments. It thrives more in its basic melodic fluidity, which perfectly serves Jeann’s authentic voice and her witty, candid lyrics about astrology, anxiety, and airport spirituality. When it does veer into weirder territory, it isn’t willing enough to dive in headfirst, leaving attempts to do so feeling middling.
Those more intriguing moments may feel like missed opportunities, but the record does come into its own when it gives into sunny and sentimental indie pop. It feels far more fun and familiar when working in that space, making tracks like ‘Thank God! For Astrology!’ and ‘Nun at the Airport’ highlights of the record.
For Fans Of: Pretending not to be superstitious while secretly poring over the star signs section of the newspaper, avoiding cracks in the pavement and dreading Friday the 13th.
A concluding comment from Elle’s housemate: “As someone who rarely dips their toes into this genre, the whole thing seems difficult to grasp. I could maybe imagine myself listening to it in the bath?”
Dog Beach track by track:
Release date: February 23rd | Producer: Rob Ellis | Label: Rescue + Return Records
‘Nude In a Waterhole’: The album opener starts out soft and unassuming but quickly leans into shrieking saxophones and repeated wonderings of, “If it isn’t real, is this how I die?” It’s an intriguing beginning, one that would do well to give in entirely to that more experimental sound. [3/5]
‘Pigeons are Doves’: Jeann intertwines gorgeous natural imagery with continued themes of bravery, but the instrumentation seems somewhat timid in comparison. There are moments of swirling beauty, but there’s also a sense of something missing. [2.5/5]
‘Subconscious Love Connections’: Jeann’s spoken word delivery and penchant for polished production seem more at home on the album’s jazz-infused indie pop third single. ‘Subconscious Love Connections’ is playful and pretty, and though its outro borders on overly sentimental, it just about maintains its authenticity. [3.5/5]
‘Madame on the Rocks’: Silky angels, sun-bathing and bird song are the focus of Jeann’s songwriting on ‘Madame on the Rocks’, pairing with them suitably smooth guitars and occasionally twinkling tambourines. It’s understated and a track that could potentially pass listeners by. [2.5/5]
‘Thank God! For Astrology!’: This track is one for the girls who pore over star signs despite maintaining that they don’t really believe in them. It returns Jeann to more playful territory, with perky echoed vocals and video game-like jingles enhancing her declarations of “Thank god for the star signs!” [3.5/5]
‘Me B4 U’: As the record passes its midpoint, Jeann seems to have found her sonic home in playful indie pop. ‘ME B4 U’ is a collage of harmonies and handclaps, bleeps and whirrs. It’s youthful and idealistic, with a message of growth and self-care: “Trust myself before I trust you.” [3/5]
‘Talking to Angels’: Skittish production takes a backseat on this angular curiosity, which puts the spotlight on Jeann’s elegant vocals. The most interesting part of the track comes at its conclusion, as Jeann’s voice droops, and a muffled recording of her nana reading a poem comes to the forefront. [3/5]
‘Juice’: The shortest song on the record, ‘Juice’ somehow contains an impossible amount of yearning into its two-minute 20 runtime. It’s also one of her most poetic declarations, finding her longing for the juice in her lover’s cheeks and voice. [3/5]
‘Nun at the Airport’: Jeann tries her hand at third person storytelling with ‘Nun at the Airport’, following the titular character through departures as she attempts to find God. “Show me you’re really somewhere!” she declares. It’s a highlight of the record, one of the most interesting entries lyrically and instrumentally. [3.5/5]
‘Present’: Though it veers back into minimalism at its endpoint, the final song on Dog Beach proves Jeann’s capability to captivate with vulnerable vocals. Her declaration of “there’s got to be more than anxiousness” soars amidst strings, a beautiful end to the record. [3.5/5]
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