Better on Vinyl
Dear Landlord — “Dream Homes”

Label: No Idea Records. Released: 2009.
This is a great album to start of my new series, Better on Vinyl. The focus of this new series will be to review albums I’ve already listened to on CD or digital format and determine if the vinyl format is any better. This will be tough: Any record collector knows that everything sounds better on vinyl.
Dear Landlord is a band that I’ve started listening to only recently. They came onto my radar when I noticed Google Play Music suggested to me their 2009 album “Dream Homes.” From the first listen I was sold; this album is killer! It was so good I immediately went onto No Idea’s website and ordered a copy.
I’ve listened to it a handful of times already and here are my thoughts.
Packaging
I paid $12 plus shipping which is not a bad price for a full LP with 14 tracks. The quality of the outer sleeve is your standard cardboard/card stock thickness; nothing new there. It is in color with a basic design on the front and back.
Inside is the record with your standard, plain white inner sleeve, a lyric sheet and small paper slip with a code to download the digital version which is a nice plus.
The lyric sheet is the most obvious where the label or band decided to cut corners in order to keep the price low. It’s a black and white, one sided sheet on regular copier paper. The one side has all the lyrics listed in order with the band and recording info scrawled across the bottom.
While I may come across nit-picky at this point let me say that a lot of records don’t include lyric sheets at all and the lower quality gives it that indie-label feel. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful they included it.
Quality
Where they skimped on the lyric sheet, they made up for in the vinyl. The record itself is a beautiful marble red, similar to a premium tortoiseshell.
The vinyl is of a standard, medium weight — 120 grams is my guess. The labels on both side A and B are glossy color, although sparse with content. Side one containing the same pattern as the front cover and the reverse containing the label’s logo.
Sound is really good. A nice thick kick drum you can feel but it doesn’t drown out the highs. The bass has a great mid punch that cuts through the mix and the lyrics can be heard over all.
Content
Side A
I’m not sure if this was the intention of the band, but this is one of those albums that plays out like a story. The first half sounds of lamenting the protagonists current position in life and the kind of shit he has to deal with.
Starting off with a bang is “I Live in Hell.” This high energy track is the perfect song to start off with — fast, driving beat with a simple, catchy sing-a-long chorus. This seemingly starts off the narrative of despair backed by the tracks “High Fives” and “Lake Ontario.”
There are also tracks sprinkled in with lyrics that read as if they were written about people the band knew. “Rosa” and “Doormat” are descriptive enough you can picture whom they’re talking about with ease.
Side B
Keeping up with the energy of the first half side B brings us back with my favorite track on the record, “Park Bench.” Starting with a fast chunking on the bass as the lyrics and guitars creep in, I can safely say this is my favorite side of this album.
Another track seemingly written about a person, “Park Bench” hits close to home with me. It tells the story of a destitute man who’s favorite pastime is passing out drunk in public. It brings back memories of an old neighbor I used to have who would pass out on his garage roof after downing a 12 pack and would routinely be brought home by the police.
The next track “Goodbye to Oakland” picks up as “Park Bench” finishes and brings the narrative to the point of our hero traveling. “Whiskey and Records” and “Begging for Tips” are two more outstanding tracks that really make side B shine. It’s in these songs that Zack, the vocalist, really conveys the feeling of being alone and finding what we have to do to survive.
Closing out the album is “A World that we Never Made” and I think it should mandatory listening for anyone who is starting a band. It’s one of those “follow your dreams and fuck anyone who tells you not to” anthems, chock full of attitude.
Conclusion
This album must rank in the top 20 punk albums of the last decade. It’s full of angsty energy; fast paced that it never drops the ball. There are no slower, heart-felt ballads snuck in at the end of side A. This record punches you in the face and just when you go down for the count it kicks you in the nuts.
If you’re a record collector or just a punk enthusiast I cannot recommend this one enough. This album is best paired with an Old Milwaukee and feelings of nihilism. Yes, it is better on vinyl.
