Protomartyr – “Dope Cloud” (Singles Going Steady)

Pryor Stroud: The fuzzed-out post-punk of Protomartyr is angsty, metallic, and impossible to ignore, and “Dope Cloud” is an analgesic whipped up through standoffish vocals and angular guitar-play. It’s moody, but not melancholy; adrenaline-fueled, but far from amped-up. The insistent refrain “That’s not gonna save you, man / That’s not gonna save you, man” is not a simple discouragement, but rather an assurance that the most cathartic pleasures — rock ‘n’ roll, drugs, sex, professional accomplishment, emotional honesty — are still just through-the-fingers ephemera despite the feelings of infinity and salvation they conjure up. [8/10]

Robert Inglis: Last year, Detroit’s Protomartyr dropped their third album The Agent Intellect. “Dope Cloud” was its lead single. A scathing critique of the Motor City’s plutocratic elite, it pummels the listener from the outset with a terrifically immediate lead guitar line. “The dope cloud / That’s descending / On this town / Blowing gold dust / into the pockets / Of the undeserving,” sings Joe Casey, somewhat obliquely. With his slacker drawl — not dissimilar to that of a young Lee Ranaldo — Casey imbues his lyrics with a poetic idiosyncrasy that’s hard to deny. While Detroit has long been a city in decline, the urban ennui it provokes in its citizens continues to inspire great music. The city may seem a relative wasteland today, but Protomartyr’s recent output proves that it remains a seething hotbed of creativity. [7/10]

Chris Ingalls: The vocal delivery initially suggests apathy, but the music suggests an urgency, bringing classic post-punk into the present. The song isn’t breaking any new ground, it’s nothing we haven’t heard before, but it doesn’t matter. Some things are timeless. [7/10]

Chad Miller: Carries some interesting lyrics about the “Dope Cloud” and how the things that comfort you can’t actually save you. Not every line is completely understandable, but it makes you think, and the tune is pretty infectious. [7/10]

Emmanuel Elone: Chugging guitar riffs, pounding drums, and a slight lo-fi sound all work in tandem to emphasize the despair of the vocalist. It’s slightly reminiscent of Foo Fighter’s “Everlong”, but it doesn’t copy directly from the post-grunge playbook. Though it’s not recreating punk, grunge or alt-rock, “Dope Cloud” is a great example of those genres done well, and makes for a good listen. [7/10]

Ed Whitelock: Joe Casey’s flat-line vocals are an oddly effective draw, here, mixed out in front of the cacophonous guitar bursts. Evoking Stooges and Rocket From the Tombs, these Detroit post-punkers do their noisy, upper-Midwest heritage proud. [8/10]

SCORE: 7.33