You can detect influences from Springsteen, a touch of The Clash, elements reminiscent of The Bottle Rockets and Nick Lowe, blended with a hint of English pub rock. The amalgamation of these sounds forms a reassuringly confident atmosphere. Dogpile on the Rabbit recognizes that their strength lies in echoing the ambiance of a lively Friday night at the pub, and that essence permeates their music. It’s a blend of joy and wisdom, delivered in a single satisfying gulp.

Bruce Hanson (guitar, vocals) and Brian Stabile (also on guitar, vocals) elaborate.

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Be sure to catch, ‘Tricks of Light,’ featured on the ‘The Best Power Pop of 2023‘ Spotify playlist.

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Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

Bruce: The band formed in 2019, and we recorded a few tunes as singles in 2020. But with the pandemic shutdown, we had to postpone plans for recording a full album until April 2023. We recorded the initial tracks at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey, with Joe DeMaio as our engineer, in one 20-hour marathon weekend session. We then recorded overdubs at my home studio in Hightstown, New Jersey, over the next couple of months and mixed and mastered it there as well.

Brian: We are a pretty energetic live band, so we wanted to capture the feel of the full band playing live in the marathon session at Shorefire. From then, we decided on what tracks were best and would fit in with what we thought may be an entertaining full-length order for an album. We then focused on a few songs at a time and mixed in with some late nights and some liquid gold on the rocks, the effect of which cannot be minimized here; we got it together.

Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signaling that you were onto something special with this project?

Bruce: For me, it was Brian’s song, “Running Partner.” The initial tracks from Shorefire sounded great, but as Brian and I worked on it further at my place, it transcended into something indescribably great. There’s a subtlety and complexity of emotion evoked by the lyrics … it’s not maudlin, but it’s wistful and longing yet also optimistic at the same time. And we managed to amplify those emotions musically.

Brian: For me, it all felt so frictionless, the whole experience. There was minimal disagreement, and it felt as if our ears were tuned to the same sonic frequencies. I dunno; maybe it was the bourbon!

Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?

Bruce: We’re under no delusions that this album is gonna land us a Madison Square Garden gig, lol. But success at the level we operate at is comprised mainly of getting as many people as possible to hear our music, whether that’s through the album or through live performances that the album will, with luck, help us secure. Where it goes from there is anybody’s guess …

Brian: It’s funny; a while ago, I saw the Killers. At the time, they had success but were not an arena band yet, and as they walked off the stage, the drummer came to the mic and said, “Tell your friends,” and then walked off. I thought that was so cool because we just want people to hear it, to get the same enjoyment we do from the music, as we have doing it.

As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

Bruce: Brian is much better at conveying open emotions in his lyrics than I am. I tend to be more elliptical, and more obtuse. But I think those two approaches create multiple dimensions to the band’s overall work, which allows the audience a variety of entry points into our music.

Brian: That’s why I enjoy this album and this band. Although we both write differently, there are multiple dimensions to the songs, but because they are done by the same people, it’s almost like a band playing a variety of covers that you’ve never heard before.

With the record completed and the music released, do you believe the pinnacle of enjoyment has been reached, or is this just the beginning of an exciting phase?

Bruce: Well, we’re old as dirt, we’ve been doing this forever, but we’ve only just begun.

Brian: Well said, partner!