(Dog Park Dissidents Magnificent Bastards. (n.d.). Google. https://images.app.goo.gl/naKRr7eEokGryfXr6)
If you’re only here to know if Magnificent Bastards is worth the 7 dollar price tag, then I can
confidently say yes. When even the weakest song on your album is keeping me up at night, you know that you have a banger in your back pocket. As far as sophomore albums are concerned Dog Park Dissidents joins the likes of Aesop Rock and She/Her/Hers in rivaling if not exceeds their freshman year. However, where Float and Hopeful//Scared were obvious stepping stones on the path to bigger and better records, The Pink and Black Album was an instant classic on its own. Magnificent Bastards is an easy 9.7 out of 10 and that’s not even including the comic/ lyric book included with the album.
Every song on this record gathered a score of 8 or higher, and its all because of DPD’s ability to be both consistent and dynamic. However, the weakest song on the record struggles with an identity crisis.
“Murderers!” may be an incredible display of range; however, it is the only song that I wish was restructured. Sounding more like Casey Lee William’s on the RWBY soundtrack or “Welcome to the Black Parade;” the song was good but not what DPD is typically known for. As an opening song, it is too different too soon into the album; potentially a great 4th or 5th song having it as the album’s intro gives new listeners false expectations and confuses regular listeners. The album does sonic range much better with other tracks such as the Latin-influenced “We,” the “Los Dinosaurios” esque regret story of “Decades More,” or the barbershop quartet style cold open in “Hold Me.” These records retain DPD’s punk rock feel while showcasing Stravinsky, Greco, Bove, and Xander’s compositional range. “Murderers!” stands out as the only sub 9.0 rating on this record.
The overall motifs of the album include hope in dystopia and the role of queerness in fighting back against ecocide and fascism, continuing from where they left off on TPBA. “Hold Me” and “Decades More” stand out as being both depressingly real and beautiful in an age where the production of being “doing revolutionary” has become a constant preoccupation a la Harvey Sacks. Xeper’s constantly beautiful lead vocals match up to the seemingly impossible task of elevating his consistently spot-on lyrics. Xe’s rejection of eco-fascism in “Western Decadence” feeling nearly parallel to their rejection of
Marxist-Leninism in “Somebody Else” proves that neither anarchism nor punk is dead.
you should buy Magnificent Bastards because of its ability to transcend genre. The comic/ lyric book by Matteo Muerto is so incredibly made that it could be reviewed and analyzed all on its own, and the songs are so good that you can write multipage essays on most of them (or, of course, listen to them
while being a transsexual menace). This album deserves a place on everybody’s shelf.
Individual song ratings
Murderers! - 8.2
Magnificent Bastards - 10
Atlas’s Suicide – 10
Save the World – 9.3
The Threat of Death and Starvation is not the Glue Holding Civilization Together – 9.7
We – 10
Violence is not the Answer, but it’s a Good Opening Statement – 9.8
Rocket to Mars – 9.7
Western Decadence – 9.9
Eulogy for the Sunset – 9.5
Hold Me - 10
Decades More - 10
Out With a Bang - 10
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