Dentist
Dentist comes from the oceanfront urban landscape of Asbury Park, New Jersey. Their sound combines the freedom of the beach atmosphere and the urgency of the city into a fuzzed out, surf punk-tinged brand of indie pop with hooks and infectious melodies to spare. The ethereal vocals of Emily Bornemann are countered by the sometimes aggressive, but always addictive sounds of Justin Bornemann on guitar and Matt Hockenjos on drums.
Dentist formed in 2013, built around the songwriting partnership of Emily and Justin. The pair had been writing songs and performing together in various ways since their first meeting at the legendary punk hangout, TGI Friday's. The band released their self-titled debut album in 2014, which Pandora described as "a deliriously infectious collection of fuzzy, California-styled, indie pop jangle and sun dappled garage rock crunch."
Dentist released their sophomore album, Ceilings in the summer of 2016 via Little Dickman Records to critical acclaim. The band began touring regularly and Dentist's notoriety continued to grow along the way. During this time period Dentist received praise from the likes of Stereogum, Noisey, Flood Magazine, and Collide and were also named one of the top bands at SXSW 2018 by The Mercury News and NPR's Sound Opinions.
Dentist released their third album Night Swimming in July of 2018 on Cleopatra Record. Their strongest release to date, the album was described by The A.V. Club as having, "tight chemistry, killer hooks, and a distinctive sound that's both lo-fi and retro-pop smooth." Following the release, Dentist embarked on a month long tour across the country. Dentist has been on bills with many national acts. The list includes Television, A Giant Dog, White Reaper, Modest Mouse, Laura Stevenson, Mrs. Magician, Death by Unga Bunga, GYMSHORTS, River Boat Gamblers, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Spider Bags to name a few. In the fall of 2019, Dentist joined fellow Asbury Park duo Brick + Mortar on a 5 week US tour. They released the single "Someone Like You," which was featured on Taco Bell's 'Feed the Beat' website.
The beginning of 2020 was full of promise, but it took a hard turn that no one expected. Instead of making music that reflected on the depression that set in during lockdown, Dentist decided to work on an album that would inspire them and their listeners to hang in there and look forward to better times ahead. Dentist's new album is fueled by both the struggle and excitement of getting to a better place - with upbeat, melodic and fuzzed out songs, as exemplified in their first single for 2021, "Don't Let Me Catch You". Though some express feelings of doubt or anger, the songs all convey a range of emotions that have been shadowed by a global pandemic and the stresses of everyday life. The band's ultimate goal for this album is to help uncover the little joys in life and to approach some of its many uncertainties with a positive outlook.
