Slaughter Beach, Dog
{{Short description|Indie rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = Slaughter Beach, Dog (First Unitarian Church).jpg
| landscape = yes
| alt = Two people playing guitars, one acoustic and one electric, on a stage. The one on the left is near a microphone but isn’t singing into it
| caption = Jake Ewald (left) and Adam Meisterhans (right) performing as Slaughter Beach, Dog in 2022
| origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| label = {{flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 2014–present
| website = {{URL|slaughterbeachdog.com}}
| spinoff_of = Modern Baseball
| current_members = *Jake Ewald
- Ian Farmer
- Zack Robbins
- Adam Meisterhans
- Logan Roth
| past_members = *Nick Harris
- Patrick Ware
}}
Slaughter Beach, Dog is an indie rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed by former Modern Baseball co-lead vocalist Jake Ewald in 2014. Initially starting as one of Ewald's solo projects during his tenure with Modern Baseball, the group was realized after Modern Baseball went on indefinite hiatus.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7998759/jake-ewald-modern-baseball-slaughter-beach-dog-final-shows-interview|title=Jake Ewald of Modern Baseball Discusses Solo Project Slaughter Beach, Dog & Band's Final Shows Before Hiatus|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2020-01-13}} The lineup originally featured vocalist and guitarist Jake Ewald, bassist Ian Farmer (also from Modern Baseball), guitarist Nick Harris (departed in 2020) from All Dogs, and Superheaven drummer Zack Robbins.{{Cite web |title=At The Moonbase, by Slaughter Beach, Dog |url=https://slaughterbeach.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-moonbase |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Slaughter Beach, Dog |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://thekey.xpn.org/2019/10/11/irhp-slaughter-beach-dog-session/|title=Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: Slaughter Beach, Dog|date=2019-10-12|website=The Key|language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}}
Background
The group had its beginnings as a solo project by Modern Baseball co-lead vocalist Jake Ewald after encountering writer's block. Ewald released the project's debut EP, Dawg, in 2014, under the new moniker.{{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/slaughter-beach/|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog (Jake from Modern Baseball) touring with Broken Beak, playing NYC w/ Crying & Trace Mountains|website=BrooklynVegan|date=21 April 2015 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}} He was soon signed with Lame-O Records, the label responsible for managing Modern Baseball.{{Cite web|url=http://www.duqsm.com/slaughter-beach-dog-forge-new-ground-funhouse/|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog forge new ground at Funhouse • The Duquesne Duke|date=2017-11-09|website=The Duquesne Duke|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}} Under his new label, in December 2016, Ewald introduced his self-produced debut LP as Slaughter Beach, Dog,{{cite web |last=London |first=Dianca |date=December 1, 2016 |title=The Deli Philly's December Record of the Month: Welcome – Slaughter Beach, Dog |url=http://philadelphia.thedelimagazine.com/26405/deli-phillys-december-record-month-welcome-slaughter-beach-dog |access-date=2016-12-02 |website=Philadelphia.thedelimagazine.com |publisher=The Deli Magazine}}Welcome,{{Cite web|url=http://lameorecords.limitedrun.com/?view=f17586/products/576221-slaughter-beach-dog-welcome?view=f17586|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog - Welcome|website=Lame-O Records|language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}} via Lame-O records, with generally positive reviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/slaughter-beach-dog-offers-a-warm-welcome-on-its-debut-1798252128|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog offers a warm Welcome on its debut album|website=News|date=22 September 2016 |language=en-us|access-date=2020-01-13}}
Following the announcement of Modern Baseball's hiatus in 2017,{{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/modern-baseball-are-back-announce-3-philly-shows/|title=Modern Baseball are back, playing 3 Philly shows (then taking a break again)|website=BrooklynVegan|date=21 August 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}} Ewald released EP Motorcycle.jpg in collaboration with former bandmate Ian Farmer in July.{{Cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/slaughter_beach_dog-motorcycle_jpg|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog Motorcycle.jpg|website=exclaim.ca|language=en-ca|access-date=2020-01-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/06/08/jake-ewald-modern-baseball-slaughter-beach-dog-interview|title=Jake Ewald On His New Solo EP And The Future Of Modern Baseball|website=The FADER|language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}} Ewald's second LP, Birdie, saw the project lineup expand with the addition of Farmer, Harris, and Robbins.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefader.com/2017/10/25/slaughter-beach-dog-birdie-stream-jake-ewald|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog debuts new album Birdie in full|website=The FADER|language=en|access-date=2020-01-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://bluestreaknews.com/1193/arts-entertainment/birdie-by-slaughter-beach-dog-review/|title=Birdie by Slaughter Beach, Dog Review|last=Hale|first=Ian|website=The Streak|access-date=2020-01-13}} With the project's newfound members, Slaughter Beach, Dog released Safe and Also No Fear in August of the following year, with a nationwide tour.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2045265/slaughter-beach-dog-one-down-good-ones/music/|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog - "One Down" & "Good Ones"|date=2019-05-28|website=Stereogum|access-date=2020-01-13}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/slaughter-beach-dog-touring-releasing-safe-and-also-no-fear/|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog touring, releasing 'Safe And Also No Fear'|website=BrooklynVegan|date=10 June 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-13}}
On December 24, 2020, the band's fourth studio album, At the Moonbase, was released. The album was written and recorded in solitude by Ewald due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-24|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog surprise releases new album At the Moonbase: Stream|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/slaughter-beach-dog-at-the-moonbase-stream/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}} The band's fifth studio album, Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, released on September 22, 2023.{{Cite web |title=Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, by Slaughter Beach, Dog |url=https://slaughterbeach.bandcamp.com/album/crying-laughing-waving-smiling |access-date=2023-09-07 |website=Slaughter Beach, Dog |language=en}}
The name is derived from a town in Delaware called Slaughter Beach. Ewald expressed a desire to name the band Slaughter Beach, having come across the location traveling between his house in Philadelphia and his parents' house in Delaware. However, after discovering the name was already in use by another band in Europe, Ewald simply added a comma and the word "Dog".{{Cite web|title=Slaughter Beach, Dog Interview – WUOG 90.5 FM|url=http://wuog.org/index.php/2018/01/17/slaughter-beach-dog-interview/|access-date=2021-03-10|language=en-US}}
Members
Current members
- Jake Ewald – vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica (2014–present)
- Ian Farmer – bass, keyboards, backing vocals (2016–present), guitar (2015–2016)
- Adam Meisterhans – guitar (2022–present)
- Zack Robbins – drums, percussion, backing vocals, synth (2017–present)
- Logan Roth – keys, synth, percussion (2022–present)
Past members
- Patrick "Dos" Ware – drums (2015–2017)
- Nick Harris – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2015–2020)
Discography
Studio albums
- Welcome (2016){{cite web |title=Slaughter Beach Dog - Welcome • Punk Rock Theory |url=https://www.punkrocktheory.com/music_reviews/slaughter-beach-dog-welcome |website=Punk Rock Theory |accessdate=18 April 2020 |language=en |date=16 October 2016}}
- Birdie (2017){{cite web |title=Slaughter Beach, Dog: Birdie |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/slaughter-beach-dog-birdie/ |website=Pitchfork |accessdate=18 April 2020 |language=en}}
- Safe and Also No Fear (2019){{cite web |title=Slaughter Beach, Dog: Safe and Also No Fear |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/slaughter-beach-dog-safe-and-also-no-fear/ |website=Pitchfork |accessdate=18 April 2020 |language=en}}
- At the Moonbase (2020)
- Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling (2023)
EPs
- Dawg (2014)
- Motorcycle.jpg (2017)
Singles
- "Monsters" (2016)
- "Building the Ark" (2017)
- "Acolyte" (2017)
- "Fish Fry" (2017)
- "Gold and Green" (2017)
- "Heart Attack" / "One Down" / "Good Ones" (2019)
- "Fair Shot" (2020)
- "Just Like Me" (2022)
- "Strange Weather" (2023)
- "Float Away" (2023)
- "Summer Windows" (2023)
- "Engine" (2023)
- "I'm In Love" (2024)
Live Albums
- Slaughter Beach, Dog on Audiotree Live (2017){{Citation |title=Slaughter Beach, Dog on Audiotree Live (Full Session) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUtA0AbYNic |language=en |access-date=2020-01-13}}
- Live at the Cabin (2022)