Duotang – The New Occupation

Winnipeg mod-rock, post-punk act Duotang won’t likely be a household name for that have entered the Canadian punk scene over the past ten years.  The Manitoban duo boasted a healthy following in the college rock scene right up to their 2002 hiatus.  A fifteen year hiatus can take a toll on a band’s reputation, and as someone who missed out on them the first time through, I haven’t stumbled across many reviewers citing Duotang in recent years.  That being said, when the band reunited twelve years later, the swaths of sold out shows clearly sparked an interest in their dormant fanbase.

Fast forward a couple of years and Duotang return to the studio to record their first new album in over fifteen years.  The result, The New Occupation, maintains the spirit of Duotang’s legacy, but brings their somewhat dated, turn of the century college mod-rock sound firmly into the present.  Curiously, the band acknowledges their new reality in opener “Nostalgia’s A Vice” in a direct reference to nothing being the same since 2001 – the year they released their final album before taking a break.  “You’ve got to move on, explore the options, and embrace, something new,” sings the band in nasally vocal style brings to mind labelmate Jesse LeBourdais.  The message of moving out of nostalgia’s shadow seems to be directed at themselves, serving as a fitting precursor to an album that lives in the present rather than rekindling a past flame.

The most immediately noticeable example of Duotang’s contemporary approach runs through The New Occupation as an overall richness of sound.  For a two person act, the band adds additional layers of instrumentation and production that simply wouldn’t have happened back in the college circuit in the late 90’s.  Just listen to the bursting horns bolstering the chorus melody of the title track, and the intermittent but invigorating organ blasts livening up “Karma Needs To Come Around.”  Both harmonize naturally alongside the thick bass grooves that Duotang executes so well.  The album also benefits from quite an array of tempo shifts, from the quick buoyant energy pulsing through “Prisoner’s Dilemma,” to the thoughtful, reserved pacing of “The Happening” and “Quite Content In The Rut.”  Simply put, Duotang exhibit an admirable depth of personality and songwriting.

Overall, Duotang offer a convincing argument for their reunion and return to the studio.  The New Occupation offers more than a mere flashback or nostalgia trip – it makes Duotang relevant again.  The only significant criticism speaks to the style itself.  If you’re not into the mod-rock scene, The New Occupation won’t likely change your view.  But even so, the band draws upon enough elements of post-punk and pop-rock to land some darn catchy choruses that may bridge that divide.  Easily worth checking out for newcomers and a no brainer for returning fans.