Pink Dogs On The Green Grass: Paul Jacobs Interview & Show # 881

Paul Jacobs latest release is Pink Dogs On The Green Grass. Out via Blow The Fuse Records, Pink Dogs On The Green Grass finds Paul Jacobs expanding his DIY garage style with more hazy pop melodies pulling in influences from the likes of Kurt Vile and Cass McCombs. With just thirteen tracks, this album follows 2020’s outtakes/demo collection Portrait of George (Demo & Songs I Forgot About) and 2018’s EASY.

“Christopher Robbins” starts off Pink Dogs On The Green Grass. Featuring bongos, a prominent drumbeat, a mixture of synths and guitar, this song brings forth lethargic melodies that also pop up at differing points throughout this album. Inspired by a few different people, including a manager for the band Pottery (who Paul also plays drums with), Jacobs has stated “This song’s about working for the man and doing what you gotta do to pay the bills until you find out what’s next.” With its off-kilter, yet infectious bongo grooves, “Christopher Robbins” captures something that isn’t clearly defined, but something that seems familiar. “Day To Day” arrives next, one of the many strong moments found on this album, this track adds flute to the mix of its hazy melodies and psychedelic folk vibes. “Day To Day” was inspired “by a trip with friends during which we played at a festival near a river out in the woods. The experience stuck with us as one of the greatest times in our lives” Jacobs has explained. This song with its chorus of “I just hope that you get to whatever you want to do/And I just hope that no one ever makes a fool of you” Jacobs transports the listener into nostalgic, yet hopeful thoughts as the words “I hope one day you’ll get the chance/To say whatever it is that you want to say,” bring on a melancholic feeling that sticks with you. “Half Rich Loner” was the lead off single for Pink Dogs On The Green Grass. Another track featuring mesmerizing, prominent drums, this track also moves with psychedelic garage vibes. With words such as “I was the half rich loner/Hanging underneath the ceiling/Staring at the photo/Or taking notes at the meeting/Yeah that was me,” Jacobs evokes working middle class thoughts, but also reveals stronger ambitions. While potentially autobiographical to a degree, this track with its hammer on guitar parts, rolling basslines and psychedelic drum breakdown, shines bright amongst the other tracks that make up the multi-layered sonic landscape of Pink Dogs On The Green Grass.

“Most Delicious Drink” marches with foggy melodies that recall the songs of The Clean featuring evocative synthesizer sounds and lyrics about well, a delicious drink that you want to last forever. Seemingly about nothing in particular, this song along with the track that follows it “Cherry” create a certain effect on the listener. Psychedelic sounds and effects permeate these songs. “Cherry” especially creates a contemplative mood. Blow The Fuse Records described the lyrics of Paul Jacobs as “those unwanted moments in life that stick with you, like unexpected encounters or bizarre situations that repeat themselves in your dreams,” songs like these definitely fit into that framework. “Everything’s Fine” delivers a fuzzy psychedelic air, as “Underneath The Roses” creates a dream-like trance with the music. Blending elements of Kurt Vile, Cass McCombs and early Beck, “Underneath The Roses” also features flute and casual guitars while lyrically it produces themes of unrealized realities. “Dancing With The Devil” is dominated by a hypnotic bassline and drum part and an omnipresent synthesizer, as Jacobs tells a stream of consciousness tale over top about getting new shoes, making something to eat and going dancing with the devil.

With its weary song structure and lyrics such as “She believes that he is up there watching over everyone/No you can’t take that back,” “Glory Days Yesterday” is somewhat enigmatic, as “Kathy’s Bible” begins with drums and kaleidoscopic riffs. With its tongue-in-cheek attitude, lyrics such as “I found the book to be quite long after that” following several lyrics juxtaposing different thoughts, “Kathy’s Bible” is yet another track that could fit into the unexpected situations that repeat themselves category that is found throughout Pink Dogs On The Green Grass. “The Boys Are Back” is another catchy mid-tempo track that features lyrics such as “I bet you’ve never stood on the inside looking outside/And I wonder if you had an opinion that you had to hide” that conjures up many different thoughts as revolving basslines, handclaps and other effects layer overtop. “Hello Sunshine” ends Pink Dogs On The Green Grass with its fizzy psychedelic, sunbaked melodies that are seamless.

Already having several albums in his discography, Pink Dogs On The Green Grass shows Paul Jacobs branching out by finding a new way of approaching his music. Musically, references have been made to Cass McCombs, Kurt Vile, early Beck, but you can also hear the influence of 60s psychedelia and bands such as The Byrds and Lou Reed. Lyrically, Jacobs words are at times surreal. They are sometimes about different characters or observations and often take on cryptic meanings. While some have said that the lyrics reveal unwanted moments that stick with you, Pink Dogs On The Green Grass is much more than that. With Pink Dogs On The Green Grass, Paul Jacobs reveals that the grass sometimes turns yellow on the other side and that sometimes the green grass can be found in the every day moments we find ourselves in.

Listen to Revolution Rock's interview with Paul Jacobs:   

Show 881 Playlist (Originally Aired On May 8, 2021)(Paul Jacobs Interview):

1.  Osees - Carrion Crawler (Live Levitation Sessions)
2.  Osees - Meat Step Lively (Live Levitation Sessions II)
3.  Eddie & The Showmen - Movin'
4.  The Sadies - Clear A Path
5.  Kid Congo Power & The Pink Monkey Birds - (Are You) Ready Freddy
6.  Kiwi Jr. - Guilty Party
7.  Paul Jacobs - Day To Day
8.  Paul Jacobs - Born In A Zoo

PAUL JACOBS INTERVIEW PART ONE 

9.  Paul Jacobs - Baby (With Bells)
10. Paul Jacobs - Stages For You
11. Paul Jacobs - The Telephone
12. Paul Jacobs - Soul Catcher
13. Paul Jacobs - Suckin' On A Cigarette

PAUL JACOBS INTERVIEW PART TWO 

10. Paul Jacobs - Cherry
11. Paul Jacobs - Dancing With The Devil
12. Bob Dylan - New Pony
13. Bob Dylan - Slow Train
14. Bob Dylan - Neighborhood Bully
15. Bob Dylan - Everything Is Broken
16. Pottery - Texas Drums Pts I & II
17. Pottery - Hot Like Jungle
18. Paul Jacobs - Christopher Robbins

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE HERE