Elements EP by Barking Dog

 Last month when your humble TSIS author was drowning in his day job, Loosegroove Records announced the release of a new album by Barking Dog, a band featuring former Pearl Jam drummer, Jack Irons.  What does it sound like?  Imagine Jack Irons grooving with his friends on some instrumental tracks full of experimental rhythm.  There you go, you've got it.

If you still have doubts, it's available on all streaming services, and once you fall in love, you can get the 12" on copper vinyl from Loosegroove Records.

Here is what Loosegroove had to say about the album:

Barking Dog’s Elements EP blends years of musical collaboration, friendship, and shared passions. The band features Jack Irons (drummer for Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers), Anthony LoGerfo (longtime drummer for Neil Young and Promise of The Real), and Micah Nelson(musician and founder of Particle Kid). Together, they share a love for rhythm, Neil Young, and dogs.

Their connection began in 2016 at Ohana Festival, where Jack and Anthony bonded over music and life. Anthony, best known for his work with Neil Young and Promise of the Real, is currently touring with Micah in Neil’s band Chrome Hearts. His "meditation grooves" formed the early rhythmic foundation for the project, which Jack built upon with experimental drums and percussion and Micah rounded out with his signature sonic layers.

After reconnecting in 2023, the band recorded the final tracks at Jack’s home studio, including the addition of a steel drum, a nod to Jack’s past work on Pearl Jam’s No Code and Yield. The tracks were mixed by Adam Hawkins, bringing together the elements of their collective sound.

The EP’s tracks, each named after natural elements, represent their sonic journey:
Heat Of The Sun Broken Water Sprouted Stream of Consciousness Light of White Moon Clouds Over Shadows

The band name, Barking Dog, reflects their shared love for their dogs, Charms, Plato, and Tsuki, and the record is dedicated to them. Elements is a testament to the band’s deep friendship, musical exploration, and the connections that shape their sound.

Trilogy Tuesday: Hail To The Chief

 OK, let's try this again.  We promised you a weekly trilogy and delivered one.  Just one, then we failed you for two weeks in a row.  Shall we try a reboot?  Sure, let's go for it.

In today's trilogy, Pearl Jam is going to get political.  They are known for singing about all types of political topics, mostly environmental, but they tap into the military industrial complex, women's rights, and anti-capitalism, but a few times, they've taken direct aim at our Presidents.

Today's trilogy features three songs specifically about U.S. Presidents.  Bu$hleaguer (George W. Bush), Barack Around the Clock (Barack Obama), and Can't Deny Me (Donald Trump). We'll learn the Pearl Jam doesn't always attack the man at the top, but if they don't, they snuff out the song and try to pretend that they never offered it as a free download.  

Maybe keep the microphone away from Stone for a while.

Sorry, it's the best we could do for an embargoed song.

Backspacer Turns 16

 

Trilogy Tuesday: The Hand Trilogy

 Pearl Jam announced they were going to play some songs about hands in Raleigh on May 11th [2025] and proceeded to play Upper Hand and Severed Hand, somehow forgetting that they did have a third song with "hand" in the title as part of their repertoire, Sleight of Hand.  Ed seemed to have caught the mistake and made good on the full trilogy at their show in Pittsburgh on May 16th.

Well, this got us thinking!  We all know about the infamous Mamasan (or Momma-Son) Trilogy (Once, Alive, and Footsteps), and a few lucky fans have heard the "Man" Trilogy (Leatherman, Nothingman, and Better Man), played together in Detroit in 2003, but can we think of some other trilogies?  Can we dig through Pearl Jam's catalog and mix up some better ideas?  Will Pearl Jam play them after reading about our ideas on TheSkyIScrape.com and then endorse our book, I Am No Guide: Pearl Jam Song by Song?

We don't know the answer, but we're going to see what comes of it.  Each Tuesday (when we remember, and until we get sick of it), we're going to present a Pearl Jam trilogy of songs that we think goes together.  Maybe the titles match, maybe the songs tell a story, maybe the covers of the 45s look pretty together.  Either way, we should have some fun with this.  You can even suggest ideas via BlueSky.

Let's start this off with the trilogy that started us down this dangerous, likely stupid, path: Sleight of Hand, Severed Hand, and Upper Hand.  Give a listen to the songs form Pittsburgh this year, and see if you're not inspired to enjoy Pearl Jam in a new way.