Big Dog, Small Park: A “Breaking In Brooklyn” Review

Written & Graphic by Madeleine Brady

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dogpark is your new favorite indie-rock band to make the soundtrack for your summer city escapades. Their first major release, an EP titled “Breaking In Brooklyn” features bright rhythms balanced with subtle, angsty lyrics that any young adult can relate to. 

The band consists of Chris Conte on drums, Will Harford on bass, Billy Apostolou on guitar, Declan Harris on lead guitar, and Eamon Moore as the lead vocalist. Moore, commonly known as “Eamon Mo,” gained virality on TikTok in late 2023 after posting a cover of Jeff Buckley's “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over.” He was praised for his unique vocals and overall musical abilities. Soon after, many fans found his band; from there, Dogpark gained traction. In January of 2024 they released their first large body of work, an EP consisting of 5 tracks, “Breaking in Brooklyn.”. The EP verbalizes the highs and lows of the American college experience: moving to a new city, navigating parties, and falling in and out of love, the EP verbalizes the highs and lows of the American college experience. 

The opening, and title, song, “Breaking In Brooklyn,” delivers us into an upbeat cityscape. Starting with an easygoing tempo, Dogpark recalls the difficulties of moving to a new city but finding the freedom there, and eventually breaking in the city like your favorite pair of shoes. Moore recounts the feeling of having problems that feel impossible, but to the outside world, they are nothing, and aptly compares it to being “on fire without any smoke.” It is about making your way in the world, while dealing with all the little things that are thrown at twenty-something-year-olds.

“Make It Happen,” narrates the story that every adolescent is bound to live through: an infatuation with someone from a very different social circle and the desperation to fit into the box of what they may want. Even changing yourself around your friends to fit into this vision. Moore articulates the feeling of wanting someone so badly that he can “make it happen” for them — even if that person comes from an entirely different social class. Will they ever be able to keep up with the facade or is the relationship destined to fail?

The third track, “Dive Bar Named Nirvana,” paints the picture of another familiar relationship often found in a college town. This time, it is a relationship founded in the dark corners of a bar, where the walls are littered with alcohol paraphernalia and the speakers play 90s rock music. It is a relationship that is often carefree, but not very thought-out. Moore vocalizes the act of getting carried away and losing yourself in a place where everyone seems to be wearing rose-colored glasses. Nobody is worried about how they will feel in the morning.

“Washington Square Park,” takes the listener through a hard left turn into the emotional last steps of yet another relationship trope. This relationship being the most stable we have seen before, and one that has lasted the longest of the three. It is a poetic experience filled with big dreams and promises neither person can keep, while both people can sense they are growing apart but neither want to admit it. With a softer sound of music, Moore sorrowfully articulates savoring the last moments of the experience, writing about having “only a sip in your glass …afraid if you drink it time might move too fast.” The two lovers give the promise of seeing each other in their next lives, and silently agreeing to lose the other in a big city. Neither blame the other for the falling out or wish for the relationship to last, but they still mourn the dreams of what might have been.

Wrapping up the EP, “Now It’s Over,” is Moore’s unfolding of the times where he has moved on from these past relationships. This is the perfect song to dance wildly in your room while getting over a relationship. Moore transforms the bliss of finally being free from the stains that past relationships leave on our skins into a song with a strong build up and easy-to-scream lyrics. It recites how, as we grow, we become entirely different people, and in a way, become people that our exes never knew. There is a feeling of release from who we once were and the people we foolishly loved.

While having relatable lyrics about being a little fish in a big pond, this band is clearly the big dog in a small park. With such a strong first step into the music scene, Dogpark is bound to make a dent in young adult playlists everywhere.