Everyone’s favorite palindrome-loving jam band Dopapod surprised fans on 4/20 with the unannounced release of its eighth studio album, Aiboh. Ironically, the band’s first studio album that isn’t a palindrome arrived at the start of palindrome week (4/20/24–4/29/24), however, “Aibohphobia” is a fear of palindromes which has led some to speculate that there is more to come.
Dopapod has already introduced several of the eight songs on Aiboh in the live setting, including the album-opening “Runny” and “Peter Banning” which were borrowed from Dopapod offshoot bOOb and introduced at the same show last year in Boulder, CO. The following night in Fort Collins, the band debuted “Boch”, also found on Aiboh. In a social media post, keyboardist Eli Winderman explained the song’s origins and connection to Fort Collins, “Last night in Fort Collins was one of my favorite shows we’ve ever played. It just felt great and we debuted another new one that actually originated in Fort Collins back in 2016. I was walking around the town when I overhead someone clunking a riff on a street piano, we’ve been working on the song for years and finally finished it yesterday with help from our VIP soundcheck attendees.”
Another song, “Everybody is a Baby”, was completely improvised and was the first thing Dopapod recorded during the sessions for Aiboh. As Winderman elaborated in another post, “It felt like one of those special band moments, almost like in a musical biopic or something when the music comes together almost too easily. Then the lyrics came together because Rob [Compa, guitarist] and Kari just had their son Lukas.”
While Aiboh signals a break in tradition for Dopapod in one way, the band’s sonic identity remains a constant. From the video game-style jazz of “Arnold” to the odd-timed funk grooves of “Everybody is a Baby” through the prog-rock balladry of the closing “Clouds”, Aiboh is still fundamentally Dopapod whether you look at it forward or backward.
“The date, 4/20/24, not only signifies the start of this numerically unique week but also heralds a new era for Dopapod, as they explore the depths of musical symmetry without the confines of a palindromic album name,” a press release notes. “This strategic release underscores the band’s continued dedication to playing with patterns and expectations, all while inviting their audience to dive into a profound sonic experience.”
Stream the new Dopapod album Aiboh below or on your preferred platform. The band will return to the road on May 16th for a show in Belle Vernon, PA ahead of a run of festival appearances and headlining tour dates. For tickets and a full list of concerts visit Dopapod’s website.
Dopapod — Aiboh