Album Review: Must Be Nice by Dark Thoughts (by Marcus Pond)

The first time my wife made enchiladas for dinner, I was hooked. It seemed so basic – chicken, tortillas, a less than healthy amount of cheese, and a few other simple, choice ingredients, but the outcome was so good, I could hardly believe it. Once in a while, she’d try something new to improve it, but it was never necessary – they were already pretty much perfect.

Dark Thoughts are like the musical equivalent of a delicious plate of my wife’s enchiladas. Are they fancy? No. Could the songs be played by most people who learned what a power chord was? In all likelihood, yes. Should everybody love them? Most definitely.

First off, they’d certainly fit the bill for a “Ramones-core” band, but even if you’re not a huge fan of the genre, they’re still immensely appealing. They’re tight, but not overly produced, so there’s still a loose enough sound to keep them from being too cookie-cutter. Where some groups feel like they’re trying too hard to emulate Joey & Co., they have a swagger that’s all their own. All they need to do is roll out of bed and throw on a leather jacket and they’re ready to destroy eardrums, no need to fuss with their hair.

Must Be Nice (Stupid Bag Records) is their third record in four years, and doesn’t really deviate too far from the formula that worked pretty well for them on their self-titled debut and 2018’s At Work (whose album cover featured a subtle nod to The Ramones 1977 LP Leave Home). While the songwriting has taken a few steps forward on their most recent effort, the untrained ear wouldn’t hear too much that’s sonically different between any of their previous albums. With 12 songs stretched tightly across a 19 minute running time, you don’t usually have to wait too long to get to the next banger.

The standout of side A is “Do You Dream”, the third track. In an alternate universe, I can imagine someone sweetly strumming an acoustic guitar, asking their crush “Do you dream / Of me / Like I dream of you?” In the much more kickass universe we find ourselves in, however, we find lead singer and guitarist Jim Shomo crooning and shouting over some pounding drums at 200+ beats per minute. Definitely a solid choice for their lead single, which was released in October as a 7” with a b-side of “It’s Too Late” (which doesn’t make an appearance on the full length).

“Silhouettes” is my favorite track on the record, which showcases perfectly the strengths of the group. It’s a lean minute and a half with just a pair of short verses and a bridge to the outro, which starts off defiantly as Shomo yells “Don’t you treat me like you used to”. By the midway point and after a pair of start/stop down strokes, he’s cheekily reversed course, now gleefully declaring that “I’ve been waiting for someone like you / To take my hand and tell me what to do-ooo”. The “I would give you my heart and soul / If you would touch me with a ten foot pole” are laughably relatable (uh, at least for me).

The darkest that Dark Thoughts get is “Terrible Things”, which touches on mental illness, but is quickly followed up by “Scan The Radio”, which takes the foot off the gas and is as close to a sappy love song as they get. By the time the refrain “It’s so easy / To be lonely / It’s so hard / To be loved” on the album closer “Must Be Nice” rings out, I found myself wanting to pump my fist in the air and hug the person closest to me. Or just start the record over again. The enchiladas aren’t ready yet, anyways.

RIYL: The Ramones, Riverdales, The Radio Buzzkills, The Smarthearts, enchiladas

Stream and download Must Be Nice here.

This review was written by Marcus Pond.