City Pets - Moochin'

​City Pets 

Moochin'
self-released; 2024

​​By ​Dino DiMuro

From the tiny hamlet of East Wall in Dublin, Ireland comes the foursome known as the City Pets with a new indie pop EP titled Moochin’.

City Pets were formed in 2022 and have been called “one of the best bands to come out of Dublin in the past two years” and “the funnest thing since chess.” Their music is described as “loud, hook-driven, anthemic and catchy.” The members are on a first-name basis: Len (Vocals and Rhythm Guitar), Stef (Vocals and Lead Guitar), Dan (Vocals and Bass Guitar) and Bev (Drums). They spent 2023 recording singles and a debut EP called “Heavy Petting” (I see what they did there!) with a follow-up titled “Pet Food.” Overall their songs juxtapose catchy melodies and anthemic lyrics with the difficulties caused by substance abuse and over-stimulation.

“Brother Mine” has a fast, driving energy that has both the tinny sound and structure of classic rock and roll (you can start with “The Twist” and go from there!). The guitars are impossibly twangy and the vocals high-pitched with a clear Irish accent. The middle section is a surprise, as the boys suddenly veer from the traditional structure into a more sophisticated chorus. Without sounding exactly like any of these guys, this single recalls the good times of bands like The Knack, The Ramones or The Sex Pistols.

“Evergreen” strikingly recreates the jangly pop rock of my (almost) youth, with amp-driven, trebly guitars and vocal harmonies that expertly straddle the chord structures. These songs were recorded and mixed at Yellow Door Music Studios in East Wall and the studio setup definitely adds to the retro feel: it reminds me of how “Louie Louie” was recorded with a single microphone hanging over the band. For most of these songs the vocals and guitars are strong but the drums could have been played on cardboard boxes. Despite the somewhat cramped mix, the boys have really packed this track with exciting changes and lots of action. As the song fades I was surprised to hear an organ, which didn’t seem to be playing before!

As if to underline the band’s retro style, “The Real” fades in with vinyl record surface noise, which is an old trick I’ve used myself. Here the group seems to be channeling mid-era Kinks with blues-like resonator acoustic and Ray Davies-style vocals. The roots of the tune may be obvious but it certainly works on its own! I really love the chorus lyrics of “She’s so alive that she could die.” A totally unexpected surprise.

The final track “Quirky” returns to the band’s familiar sound, and as if we’d just had our ears cleaned out with steel wool, the mix now sounds much better than before. The boys are using more opaque, interesting chords and the vocals are in a much lower register. When the band says their music is “catchy” this is exactly the kind of song they’re talking about. I’m also able to hear the bass more clearly, and “Dan” is playing quite interesting counter-melodies in the tradition of Sir Paul.

Intellectually I know these guys are young, which is why this trip to the past feels so amazing. The sound is just a bit murky here and there but the spirit is infectious. Fun and recommended!

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