The Dole Age - Seconds Out: Big Hitter or On the Ropes?

It's no secret that I'm a massive Dole Age fan. I love their honesty, the way they don't pretend to be Joe Satriani, Lee Sklar and Steve Gadd playing at Ronnie Scott's. Their songs are earnest, hardworking, and probably have a pint on their lunch break, just to take the edge off life. I like that. I like that a lot.

So when they asked me to review their new single, 'Seconds Out', I was pretty excited. Recent lineup changes and a few choice gigs with Merthyr's Golden Boys Pretty Vicious mean that they've earned a few more swimming badges on their music industry budgie smugglers, but is the soul still there? Are they still they still swinging, or is it time to tap out?

'Seconds Out' jumps into the ring with a driving acoustic riff that's so driving that it makes an acoustic guitar sound like a percussion instrument. I bet a few plectrums laid down their lives for the recording of 'Seconds Out.' This angst is pushed forward by a bounding drums and jabbing bass combo, giving meat and testicles to 'Seconds Out' and barging you into the corner.

Stepping over these massive balls is the vocal melody. Dancing, ducking and diving more than a cockney in roller-skates, the vocals are the fancy footwork to the rhythm section's beefy right hook. Lyrically, 'Seconds Out' is dripping with that secret ingredient - honesty. Entirely relatable, hideously catchy and filled with the type of observations Lee Evans would be proud of, the vocals jab the face, landing two perfectly timed shots right to the ear canals. It works well - light-footed vocals over a stomping rhythm. 'Seconds Out' is very much a case of float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

The surfy guitar work adds a dimension of space - keep your distance, stay out of arms reach. A few stabs act as a warm up, before the swirling solo steps up to the plate and goes to town. Tuneful and nicely reigned in, it does a good job of smacking you in the nose and making your eyes water. It doesn't want to knock you out, just bruise you up a bit before you go home and show your Mam.

There's such a fantastic tone to 'Seconds Out' - it's got attitude, but it's over it. It would've been easy to make a flat out rock song with screaming and rage but they haven't. They've kept it serene, above the belt and clean, and that is a very admirable attribute and a very Dole Age thing to do.

The Dole Age have this fantastic ability to work in a great deal of complex emotion in their work. It's never a case of HAPPY SONG or SAD SONG. It's not black or white; they've wandered into the grey area, and brought out a great deal of colour and light. I really fucking like that. I really fucking like 'Seconds Out.' After playing it solidly for a week on holiday, I still find it fresh and completely listenable. How they do that, I do not know. Hats off, The Dole Age.

So, 'Seconds Out.' Big hitter or on the ropes? With a heavy right hook going straight to the stomach, Ali-esque footwork, and a 'Sorry mate, I have to' expression on its face, 'Seconds Out' is utterly fantastic. It's not about being angry, but it just gets on and does what it does until it's time to clock out. I absolutely adore 'Seconds Out.' Undoubtedly one of the catchiest tunes to come out of Merthyr in a long time.


What is The Dole Age's sound?

Take a Spotify-esque acoustic guitar line, and then give it balls. Thudding bass and driving drums a la Arctic Monkeys but with less Knobbishness. Vocals more acrobatic than a Red Arrows display, and a lathering of soaking wet 60's surf guitar, for some variety. Pour in the type of emotion that gives psychiatrists nightmares and serve lightly on a punch to the face.



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