Show Me the Body returns with their latest studio album, entitled Dog Whistle, a captivating narrative told straight from the perspective of the New York underground. It tackles the ongoing issues that their collective homebase is facing, and Julian Cashwan Pratt and company are tearing the issues apart and presenting them to the listener. Their presentation is a mutilated, throbbing corpse of an album, one that makes you question your own norms and puts you on edge.

One of the most noticeable first takeaways from the album is Pratt’s sheer vocal ability. You can hear his vocal cords being ripped and shredded like paper as his desperation and dedication to his city shines through his lyrics. Dedication is actually an understatement of how connected SMTB is to their city – rooted in CORPUS, a community of like-minded individuals who are about mutual respect and community building. Pratt’s vocal work on the album alludes to this commitment to CORPUS and NYC as a whole. He creates a feeling in the listener that forces them to realize what’s happening in the Big Apple.

Dog Whistle is a progression in SMTB’s songwriting ability and also their sound. Before Dog Whistle, the albums Body War and Corpus I lack a consistent energy and sound, and it sounds spread out. On this album, however, they are straightforward with everything – their aggression, production, lyrics, content, mixing, the whole nine yards. Their intensity demands respect and to be heard in its entirety.

Standout tracks include the Family Man-esque spoken word “Animal in a Dream,” that alludes to that CORPUS mindset but also takes down big name institutions and organizations. The eighth track and one of the singles, “Madonna Rocket” is definitely the best song on the album, with a fantastic chorus (“When I meet someone that’s good I wanna die with them/Dead friends I still wanna say goodbye to them/Aside from me, aside from them/All I have is family/I will die with them.”) which is another example of the community they work for. 

All in all, Dog Whistle as an album is an incredible perspective into the underground world of New York City that the surface world tends to not see. SMTB tackles issues head on while preaching the idea of community, and makes you want to get out and fight the injustice in your daily life. It’s a good album to get pissed off to and create the change that you want to see, but also need to see.

 

Listen to Dog Whistle here: Here

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