Awful – Skin Back Alley

Photos: Dentist/Cool Dad

Without a song throws a spotlight on bands, albums and tracks beloved of Skin Back Alley. Old, new, classic or cutting edge, our aim is to share good music that has touched us through the years.

Dentist have nothing to do with dentistry (as far as I know.) And their song ‘Awful’ really isn’t awful. Talk about confusing.

What certainly isn’t confusing, however, is their dreamy, fuzzed-up, blissed-out surf-rock. I fell over it courtesy of a Soundcloud algorithm that lumped Dentist in with another band whose single left me entirely indifferent. I simply forgot to click the ‘Stop’ icon on the automatically generated playlist. Isn’t technology great?!

BAM. Suddenly it was 1 a.m. and I had deliberately listened to ‘Awful’s’ parent album, Ceilings, three times in a row.

But enough about my serendipitous evening of rock joy. Listen to ‘Awful’ via the stream below. Because it’s bloody great.

“’Awful’ is about not being able to choose who you love, and ultimately being stuck with them.” says Emily of the song. “Sometimes they don’t notice you the way you’d like, or put the effort in that you’d like, so you’re left saying,’I never wanted it to be you.’ It’s a very heat of the moment song possibly following an argument.”

Dentist are Emily Bornemann (vocals and rhythm guitar), Justin Bornean (lead guitar), Nick Kaelblein (bass) and Rudy Meier (drums).

Ceilings is out now.

01. “Climbed Too Many Trees”
02. “Awful”
03. “Meet You There (In Delaware)”
04. “Over and Over”
05. “Body Slam (Move)”
06. “Joel”
07. “You’re A Bore”
08. “You Say”
09. “Air Vent”
10. “Digging up the Dog”