On 'Mad and Noisy,' moondoggy Strike Gold

After introducing themselves brilliantly on their eponymous 2021 EP, moondoggy have reaffirmed their position at the forefront of Toronto's indie rock scene with their debut album Mad and Noisy.

The Collingwood-founded five-piece are decidedly more themselves than ever before on the 10-track project, as they capture the devil-may-care essence of rock 'n' roll's golden era while simultaneously creating a sound entirely their own. Reinforcing that sound is where they truly strike gold — by incorporating saxophone throughout the project. 

At times content to provide texture from the background ("Don't Let Me Go") or shred in unison with plunging guitar solos ("Another Last Song"), Ben Matanowitsch's sax also leads the way on some of the album's brightest moments like "Off My Back" and the swing-infused "Ramona," which acts as a brief — and welcome — departure from the project's otherwise consistent tempo.