Dogs debut album rode on the crest of a wave The Libertines started way back in 2005. Mining the same 60’s and 70’s Southern England punk rock, it was a patchy album that couldn’t break away from it’s strong singles and the bets were on for them to fall by the wayside as time went on. And things have moved on. We’re in post-Libertines territory already, bands like The View are hailing them as influences on their sound instead of the original punk bands. What we have here though is Dogs growing up, maturing and delivering an album that’s surprisingly good.

It begins with the thundering Dirty Little Shop which might start slowly but bursts into life with an anthemic chorus that makes me want to bounce round the room. I couldn’t begin to tell you what the song is about, it’s mixed metaphors of betting shops, daggers in hearts and woes of a broken heart are a bit blurred, but it crashes along with the catchiest riff I’ve heard for months. Obviously starting so strongly can always disappoint, but Dogs manage to maintain their control. Soldier On is Eton Rifles long lost brother, the echoing harmonies and jangling riff ripping-off the Jam and whilst it might not have the social commentary of it’s elder relative, it’s still impressive. The aggressive romp of This Stone is a Bullet is pure punk rock, aping the Clash, attacking young conservatives and stuck-up graduates. By The River’s opening wall of guitars reminds me of …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead. It’s an aggressive slice of rock music, a never ending supply of guitar riffs crashing into one continuous noise – a brief respite half way through before it descends into madness again.

It doesn’t always work though. The predictable thrash of Forget It All has been done before, the repetitive and hack saw guitars coming across like a cut-price Arctic Monkeys. The album is also let down by the meandering closing track Let It Lay. It’s gentle piano and acoustic guitars don’t really fit in with the rest of the album and it’s a shame it ends on such a damp squib. With their quality control being so high prior to this, it’s a real let down. It should come as no surprise that Paul Weller is a big fan. The development of their Jam-esque riffs and lyrics see Dogs sophomore effort as a tight and focused record. This may not be at the forefront of musical development at the moment but it’s full of catchy riffs and enjoyable lyrics.
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Links
Dogs [official site] [myspace]