The Dumpies

Reviews

The Dumpies Gay Boredom LP

The DUMPIES’ Gay Boredom is a raw, energetic garage punk album that moves back and forth between mid-tempo melodic pop and fast, chaotic bursts of sound. Formed in Austin, Texas in 2017 and now based in Astoria, Oregon, this five-piece blasts out nineteen tracks in just over nineteen minutes, keeping things short and punchy. Produced by music legend Tim Kerr, the album sounds cohesive while covering a range of styles, with the title track’s vocals serving a Richard Butler (the PSYCHEDELIC FURS) vibe while “Ol’ Pal” has a chaotic, FAT DAY-like energy. The double-time cover of YOUNGER LOVERS’ “Ballad of Two Stubborn Men” is a tasty standout. I enjoyed the shit out of this album.

The Dumpies / Night Court The Shit Split Part Duh split EP

Bold move to name your record after such an iconic split as the original BLATZ/FILTH Shit Split. The DUMPIES clock five fleeting cuts of mostly melodic pop punk with nasally vocals. The least melodic track, “Hats,” is also the shortest (a whopping 25 seconds) and most memorable of the bunch. Exhibiting a competence that comes with experience, it’s clear that the DUMPIES know their way around their instruments, but this batch of songs seems a bit undercooked. It’s like they are hinting at something greater than what has been committed to tape, and ultimately flame out before leaving the launching pad. On the flipside of the platter, NIGHT COURT wades even further into the syrup of jangly pop punk. This is the type of cloying, cavity-inducing, artificially sweetened pop that makes me long for the whine of the dentist’s drill. At least their songs are quite brief, too. Needless to say, this falls far short of the record its title references.   

The Dumpies Roberto Clemente EP

Astoria, Oregon’s the DUMPIES knock up some dirt with their Roberto Clemente EP, named after the Puerto Rican baseball player. And while traditional sports culture and punk ethos haven’t always walked hand-in-hand, I guess we are mixed up in everything now, and maybe that’s okay. All said, the track list reads like the snotty-as-ever garagesters they seem to be, with “Pot Moms,” “Eat Ass Do Crimes,” and “Garbage Zen,” to name a few. This six-song EP comes in at just over five minutes, with the longest song (1:19) being the SHANG-A-LANG cover “Commotion” that makes for a great anthemic ender. It’s catchy and fun like something you’d hear in a college basement, while being slightly more informed, with the song brevity of a hardcore outfit. Have a five-minute beer and listen up.

The Dumpies Flamed Out EP

These guys fall in the “they’re really nice people” category of music. Pretty unoriginal pop punk and garage from what looks like record collector types. I guess this series of records requires bands to record while fucked up. Whose brilliant idea was that?! If you’re not the GERMS, why would I care? Three uninspired originals and a cover. Why? It looks like they’re able to schlep this act all over the world and somebody’s watching so don’t listen to me. Zzzzzz.

The Dumpies Jim Thorpe cassette

The most recent release by a band whose offerings seem to all be cassette releases named for various professional athletes. Here we have Jim Thorpe, Native American Olympic gold medalist. The DUMPIES may not be as versatile musically as Jim Thorpe was athletically, but they are not all that far off. Running through six songs in under six minutes, they touch all the bases and dabble a little bit in a number of sub-genres without it feeling forced. Mid-tempo garage, plodding punk, lo-fi pop, catchy pop-punk. The DUMPIES break up their pentathlon of original songs by tossing in a RED KROSS cover, and they totally nail it. Consider this reviewer’s eyes peeled for these elusive other athlete-themed cassettes.

The Dumpies Zola Budd cassette

This tape has ten tracks of blown-out fuzz pop. Song after song of anthemic melodies, recorded in a shack somewhere in Oregon. The band is from Austin, but may have picked up something in the air from Denton, Texas—there are echoes of MARKED MEN, REDS, etc., although the closest comparison that comes to mind is the THERMALS. Great stuff overall.