Lily Mastrodimos pines for growth on Long Neck’s sophomore release, World’s Strongest Dog. With the imminent departure from her mid-20s, the songwriter and guitarist felt acutely aware of the waning freedom and looming responsibilities. On the band’s follow-up to Will This Do?, she meditates on the last two years of her life—from friendships and romance, to getting older and changing habits—to craft an elegant reflection of self that poses maturity and awareness, along with an evident evolution in both lyrics and musicianship.

Describing the band’s 2018 debut album as emotionally draining, Mastrodimos contrasts the 10-song World’s Strongest Dog as “anxious to be better to myself, to be my own person, to feel the love that I want, and waiting for all of that to happen.” The hardships addressed on the debut now emerge as revelations: holding herself emotionally accountable, a further understanding of herself and those around her, and first steps toward pursuing the person she craves to be.

Lyrically, Mastrodimos wanted to be a little more adventurous while still staying true to her mission with Long Neck: to get personal, speak her truth, and connect with listeners. With World’s Strongest Dog, her lyrics have undoubtedly bloomed, partially through a disconnection that she attributes to better examining her emotions. As with all internal journeys, a certain amount of solitude is required, and with a strong background in science, Mastrodimos uses nature as a device to dig deep: “Everything in nature has a law, or a rule, or a relationship that connects it to everything. There’s always something that makes it clear to me. It’s not always easy to talk to human beings, or to figure out a tangle of a bad relationship.”

On opener “Campfire,” Mastrodimos reflects on a particularly dark moment from last year, comparing herself to a leech and a termite in order to showcase her desire to crawl out of a desperate place. She passionately croons, “I want to build my own fire,” as the drums kindle, the guitars swell, and the sensation of metaphorical flames fuel what’s to come. Breaking into flight amidst chugging guitars, “Bird” provides an undercurrent of soothing keys and the resolution to stand a little taller. “Backseat” is written from her perspective as a child seeking protection and grappling with mortality, guided by a spirited chorus of fleeting “oohs” and playful drums. “Broken Ring” and “Bad Words” showcase Mastrodimos’s softer side of songwriting, honing in on her fingerpicking and forthright lyrics, while rockers “Untitled” and “MDP” display her strong command of the guitar and the band’s ability to write anthemic knockouts.

Recorded with her band—John Ambrosio (drums, auxiliary percussion), Kevin Kim (guitar), and Alex Mercuri (bass, backing vocals)—World’s Strongest Dog showcases the band’s perfectionist mentality. With engineer and producer Tom Beaujour (who also worked with the band on their debut) at Kaleidoscope Sound in Union City, New Jersey, they fine tuned guitar and bass tones, experimented with Beaujour’s pedal collection, boosted the amount of overdubs and guitar solos, and worked together to create a truly stellar follow-up that is full of new and intriguing growth for Long Neck.

“You’re not expected to change overnight,” says Mastrodimos of World’s Strongest Dog. “Everyone’s on their own path. Trying to better yourself for the sake of yourself, and the people around you—that takes a lot of time. You need to give yourself that space to explore it.”

by Cynthia Schemmer