Dirt Buyer – Dirt Buyer III

At first listen, Dirt Buyer III is shaped by discomfort and grief, and by the process of sitting with both. For the Brooklyn-based trio, this third self-titled album stands as their most transparent work to date.

Songwriter and frontman Joe Sutkowski has called this record his proudest yet, and that confidence is reflected in its balance of release and restraint. Building on their history of indie rock across previous records, Dirt Buyer III refines the band’s sound without diluting the emotional core that has defined them. While staying connected to their emo roots, the album feels like walking into a dimly lit room.

Opening track Baseball sets the tone through the use of negative space. Its minimal arrangement creates room for the lyrical weight to settle. “Something I’ll never get, but I sleep on it, wake up and try again” frames life’s struggles through the metaphor of a repetitive game. One of Sutkowski’s “lowest lows”, the song emerged as writing became a way to communicate while navigating alcoholism, relationship strain and family difficulties.

As its title suggests, Bullshit Fuck marks a sharp emotional turn. The built-up anger and lyrical bluntness articulate a cathartic intensity reminiscent of bands like Dinosaur Jr. With most verses beginning with “sick of…” followed by expressions of frustration and shutdown, the track reads as a breaking point. Sutkowski has likened the feeling behind it to being “a square peg”, with this indie-meets-grunge number capturing “the angry part of processing feelings”. Positioned towards the midpoint, it acts as a necessary climax before the album softly loosens its grip.

Later, Me Before You reinforces a sound that has consistently returned throughout Dirt Buyer’s earlier releases. Stripped-back acoustics and Sutkowski’s soft vocals underline a deep sense of isolation. “When I turn around, and I see anyone but you, tears my heart in two” conveys the yearning of missing someone with disarming simplicity.

Overall, Dirt Buyer III is an evocative album. Its willingness to confront discomfort, paired with unpolished honesty, delivers something deeply personal while increasingly assured in its creative direction.