The Dirty Earth ‘Ascendancy’ Track by Track. Definitely an album worth listening to.
Lay By The Son – A powerful introduction to the album, “Lay By The Son” is an anthem for survivors of child sexual assault. The song begins with a long guitar intro building into the heart wrenching lyrics, depicting the unsettling truth of sexual abuse. A song about pain, Mandy’s voice brings life to the words, giving strength to both the song and back to survivors of abuse.
Red Witch – The first, but not only, song on the album that tells of the power of women, “Red Witch” is a tale of a witch who has her revenge on three brothers who cross her path one day in the woods. Not only does this track demonstrate the lyrical skills of The Dirty Earth, but it is also a great show of their musical talent, specifically the guitar riff heard throughout.
Lonely – A song full of metaphors and a play on words, “Lonely” is a tale of unrequited love between two poker players. Mandy’s voice is big, while if possible, the guitars seem even bigger yet. With each repeat of the chorus, the song proves it has the potential to be a smash when performed live.
Free Bird – An album heavily influenced by blues, this track brings in the anticipated dash of fuzzy, stoner-psych. The echo on Mandy’s vocals in the chorus personifies the meaning behind the song: fleeing a bad relationship and finally being free. Also embodying the title, the instruments on this track go off on their own, particularly in the final thirty seconds after Mandy’s lyrics have escaped.
Down to the River – The shortest track of the album, but perhaps the most intricate, “Down To The River” is a tale of a person who believes they hear the voice of God, however it’s in fact the voice of the Devil who convinces them to kill a lot of people. Referencing Greek Mythology, the words “down to the river” refer to the rivers of the dead found in the Greek Underworld. After the introduction on the previous song, the fuzzy, stoner rock is heard full force on this track.
Cruel World – With a slower start, Mandy tells the story of someone who takes their own life by drowning themself in a pond with wild flowers aligning the bank. She sings about the cruelties and pains of life, leaving scars and dark pasts that lead the person to kill themself. However, the irony cannot be missed as she also sings of the beauty of the pond where the death took place.
Fierce Goddess – Drawing inspiration from Michele Madden, “Fierce Goddess” is an anthem to empower women. Encouraging all women to find their strength, Mandy calls out “come ride with me,” giving the image of her leading a badass motorcycle girl gang. The underdog of the track however must be the baseline that shows the influence of blues-rock on the band.
Bed of Nails – “Bed Of Nails” depicts the struggle of knowing a relationship is slowly killing you inside, but not having the courage or resources to leave. Repetitive lyrics such as “you want everything,” accurately describe the situation of being stuck in a relationship due to a partner taking all you have, both emotionally and physically. Yet again, the song finishes with a stoner rock sound and a quick drum outro.
Eternity – With global warming on the rise, this track portrays the death of planet earth. The line ‘she bleeds, she’s incomplete’ heard in the chorus refers to Mother Earth due to the stress humans put onto her. Focusing on the guitar and drums, one can hear the anger in this song that can only be assumed Mother Earth is feeling as pollution and industrialization continue on.
So Long Sucker – This track is about a girl who leaves a small town for the bright lights of the big city, leaving behind her boyfriend with the thought she’ll ‘do better’ in the city. Ten years later, she returns with her tail between her legs and seeks out her old boyfriend. However, he’s moved on and tells her “it’s too late, baby”.
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