Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling by Slaughter Beach, Dog

Review written by rifi14

Slaughter Beach, Dog’s latest album Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling is a heartfelt exploration of emotions and memories shared through reflection and evocative storytelling. Released in September of 2023, the album is the band’s fifth release since their first project, Welcome, in 2016. Slaughter Beach, Dog initially started as a solo project by Jake Ewald, the co-vocalist of Modern Baseball. After Modern Baseball’s indefinite hiatus was announced in 2017, Ewald was joined by bandmate Ian Farmer to release their EP, Motorcycle that same year.

While reminiscent of Modern Baseball’s indie emo sound, Slaughter Beach, Dog leans more towards indie rock with flairs of folk and punk. Their newest work, Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, is the most delicate of their albums, straying towards a lighter indie folk sound, featuring gentle melodies and softer vocals. Ewald is not known for his astounding vocal abilities but instead for his conversational tone, conveying emotions with a sense of vulnerability in his voice. He is thoughtful in his lyricism, both personal yet widely relatable, as he sings about themes of love and connection balanced against loss and nostalgia. There’s a sense of maturity within Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling that stood out to me in comparison to the band’s roots in Modern Baseball. The album is still youthful in its themes but through a more nostalgic lens, looking back upon memories from younger days. Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling perfectly emulates the feeling of summer slipping away which is fitting for its September release. The first track on the album, “Surfing New Jersey” crafts an easygoing and relaxing mood. Upon my first listen, I felt as though I was taken to an early summer day, breezy and carefree. Midway through the album is “Summer Windows” which as the name suggests, paints the picture of a warm night in August as Ewald sings about wishing to open up to the one he loves. By the time the album reached “Engine,” I could feel the season coming to a close, looking back at the memories that have now passed as the warmth of summer slips away. Ewald emulates an all too familiar feeling, the realization of one’s fleeting youth. He communicates a level of acceptance, an understanding of the experiences and people in life that come and go. He tells stories through simple moments and illustrates places and people that create a narrative of bittersweet memories and distant relationships.

Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling is rather simple musically with a repetitive sound carried throughout the album. The songs seem to blend together, however not dully, but rather with a sense of peace and balance. The album’s production is nothing bold, allowing the listener to focus and reflect on the lyrics. There’s a level of intimacy within the sound, a closeness between the band and the listener. The album sits at a relaxed pace, matching its introspective mood with its rhythmic flow. The melodies are gentle with little progression, creating a steady disposition carried throughout the album. This works well with the lyrical themes, emulating memories that once held a lot of weight, but are now distant and slipping away.

Through Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, Slaughter Beach, Dog has created a beautifully delicate album about life’s highs and lows, exploring emotions through day-to-day experiences and reminiscence of love and loss of the past. Ewald is sincere in his storytelling, expressing emotions in a way that can be resonated with for a wide listening audience. The album thrives in its simplicity, allowing the emotional depth within the lyricism to speak for itself. Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling stands as a worthwhile listen within Slaughter Beach, Dog’s discography with an appeal to nostalgic fans of Modern Baseball and fans of the indie rock genre as a whole.