Painted Dog emerged in Pittsburgh as songwriter James began reshaping a collection of bedroom recordings into something louder and more volatile, eventually forming a full band with Justin, Jon, Ryan, and Evan. Their sound is fueled by commotion as a scrappy cow-punk energy clashes with a post punk mentality and tension. Even Jon's suggested band name seems wild, fitting their unsettling attitude.
Mirror, which is scheduled for release on December 13th, 2025, compiles songs composed over a number of years, following the project's development from isolated demos to a vibrant live ensemble. With a raw, driving rhythm that seems designed for dark spaces and late hours, rough guitars cut through exciting midnight atmospheres.
"Our latest single that will appear on our full length album is called Midnight City," the band reveals. "This was actually written with another single to go back-to-back with it, titled ‘Midnight Rose’. I like to call them ‘The Midnight Singles’. Midnight City is one of our songs that is a bit more lyrically straightforward. It is a song about someone who has delusions of grandeur surrounding a destination. It’s a bit lyrically humorous, while ultimately not being a joke of a song."
Midnight City provides a form of escapism, a lucid, free-spirited world where beauty, love, and nightlife merge into fantasy. The track is whimsical but sincere, depicting the appeal of a perfect city that may never exist but feels real enough to desire in the dark.
ZR