Nate Allen and the Pac-Away Dots

Take Out the Trash

First of all, where has the line “kicking myself to the curb” been all my life? I am always impressed when a twist on an old phrase is created that was right under my nose the whole time.

That surprise twist? That’s how I feel about Nate Allen and his backing band, the Pac-Away Dots. Allen, who has toured the country relentlessly with his former duo Destroy Nate Allen, put together a backing band and switched names — with good reason, as the sound is something different from his previous efforts — to release their first album, Take Out the Trash. (Self-subtitled: “An Honest Look at Privilege, Racism, Unemployment and Being Burnt Out.”) Allen penned the album a couple of years ago, had it recorded, mixed and mastered before turning to Kickstarter more recently to physically print the album. Now in release — without overemphasizing their creativity — the lyrics are clever and well thought-out, that nice surprise you want. In a good way, Take Out the Trash has a “lost tapes” feel to it that shows Allen’s willingness to take chances. The overall production incorporates a forthright and honest approach, something other bands try to fake. Instead of being a gimmick, the use of the band’s indie-fun-punk-pop, incorporating banjo and kazoo (among other miscellaneous instruments), lend themselves to the overall tongue-in-cheek approach the band takes.

When you play this in your car, you will swear he’s in the back seat performing for you. On this album, if a coffeehouse and an Irish pub were to join forces, Nate Allen and the Pac-Away Dots would be their smash headliner.