Slaughter Beach, Dog is the solo project of the band Modern Baseball’s guitarist and vocalist, Jake Ewald. He began making music at a young age, and hasn’t stopped since, but this project has moved him into new, and previously unexplored, areas of creativity. The band Slaughter Beach, Dog is a project revolving around a fictional town called Slaughter Beach. Ewald often uses his lyrics to weave elaborate webs of personalities while bringing his characters alive through the music. The stories within the songs are fictional, but Ewald makes them feel real. This band gives listeners what seems to be a genuine look into what is going on inside Jake Ewald’s head.

His first album as Slaughter Beach, Dog, Welcome, was released in December 2016; Ewald has come out with an EP since then, and his upcoming album, Birdie, is available for pre-order now. Ewald has found ways to incorporate the pop punk roots of Modern Baseball with more of an indie feel that is all his own. Jake told The Growl, “I started Slaughter Beach, Dog as a writing exercise outside of Modern Baseball, and the process ended up bringing me a lot of joy so I stuck with it.” It is clear to listeners that this is not the same band, which isn’t always the case when artists choose to create music outside of their pre-existing projects. Jake is using this opportunity to follow his own advice to musicians, “Play all the time, write all the time, join a million bands, play as many shows as you can, appreciate everything, and treat others the way you would like to be treated.”

Slaughter Beach, Dog isn’t just a new experience for listeners, it has also been a trip full of new and different situations for Jake. “It’s fun to play intimate shows again, and to play new songs live. Our shows are pretty small compared to Modern Baseball shows, so there’s a whole different energy and excitement there,” Ewald said. While he’s not entertaining as large of crowds, playing live without the band has its own benefits. The people that are coming to the shows on this tour are genuine fans of his band, and the band feeds off that energy. Jake echoed this idea, saying, “Getting to play for an audience that really wants to hear your songs is very special. When people are actually paying attention and grooving and listening to what you’re doing, it feels really wonderful.”

This tour is a brand new experience for the band, and Jake is very excited for it. “I’m excited to play shows far away from Philadelphia for the first time, hang out with my friends, and play new songs live. And I’m really excited to get out of the house for a little while,” he told The Growl. Ian Farmer, the bassist for Modern Baseball, has been working with Ewald, both in the recording studio and on the stage at live shows. This tour is looking to be fun for both the fans and the band itself, and there’s a lot of excitement on all sides.

Slaughter Beach, Dog will be at Kilby Court (748 South Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT) on Saturday, November 11th, and tickets are only $10! Shannen Moser and Housewarming Party will be opening.

Recommended Songs:

“Gold and Green”

“Acolyte”

“Politics of Grooming”

“Drinks”

“Your Cat”