The Swedish doggers, sorry, rockers are back with their second album, where they prove that their great debut was not just a one time fling. The members of the band are still the same and the music is still rooted in hard rock.
Dogpound have managed to keep their own sound intact, making this album instantly recogniseable as...
Dogpound. The crunch of the guitar is still here, as is the dreamy feel that sometimes grabs hold of you while listening to the album.
Comparing to the debut the production is more polished, the music feels tighter, the guitar has been moved further back in the sound and the songs generally have more of a mid-tempo vibe to them. I would put slightly in front of all those comparisons since they are all small changes. Overall this is still the same kind of music as found on the debut, it has just taken a natural evolution since then, which is very good to hear.
Captain Hook & Jesus opens the disc with a strong punch and makes for a good introduction to the slightly twisted world of
Dogpound.
5 Seconds Away really showcases the band very well both in terms of lyrics and music. The lyrics are daydreaming but based in reality. The music has a driving force, pushed forward by crunching guitar riffs and a combination of a tight rythm section and Hea's strong vocals, while the chorus is catchy without taking the focus from the rest of the song. The song also has one of my favorite guitar solos of the album.
Not By Choice is a high speed power rocker and another favorite. The same goes for
In Another Lifetime, which also cranks up the heaviness another notch with a strong middle section.
Sail On captures an almost ethereal atmosphere, where I get the feeling of lying on my back, floating on top of waves while looking up at an unending cloudy sky.
The lyrics, as far as I can tell, deal with life in general, daydreams and problems of the average person. The beauty of this is that the band manages to blend these things into their own universe, filled with metaphors and humorous twists. Although I have yet to read the actual lyrics, this is the impression I get from piecing together numerous listening sessions with the promo.
Dreamworld has a catchy chorus but does not manage to stand apart from the other songs and it is too static to really grab the attention.
Inside Of You lives on the cool crunch of the guitar and a smashing chorus.
Loaded My Guns is packed with energy and
Still My Heart has a convincing drive. All great songs.
Room has also been made for a ballad this time. With the addition of a flute and a soft acoustic guitar
Worries Of Yesterday starts out as a soothing mellow tune but the way it develops unfortunately makes it loose its edge and in the end this is just an ok ballad.
P.P.F and
Worth The Pain are solid rockers but don't add anything new to the mix.
A special mention goes out to Micke's guitar solos. They are slick, to the point and fit the music perfectly, gliding in and out without much notice. His guitar work is simply amazing on the whole album. The drum work is also high on the quality scale, very interesting and inventive. The great groove this band has is a testament to a great rythm section.
I don't know what it is about the two outros, which are found on
Still my heart and
Worth The Pain. I don't get them, but maybe it is just the Swedish humor that goes over my head. Of course I will probably have to read the lyrics before I fully get all the meanings to these songs.
I will now be keeping my fingers crossed that
Dogpound will play at the Sweden Rock Festival next year. As Michael and I discussed, that would be a perfect match.
Already, I can't wait to get another dose of
Dogpound.
Written by
Steen Sunday, December 11, 2005
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