The Dogs:
Suburban Nightmare
Label: Dionysus Records
Release Date: 2003
Review Date: 9/15/05
The same Dogs that did A Younger Point of View. (Can you tell where I’m getting my Dogs education?) Suburban Nightmare features the original Dogs lineup in it’s entirety. Musically, Suburban Nightmare sounds like a lot of MC5/Stooges inspired Detroit-style grunge being rehashed by so many bands these days. These guys are from the era and location (Lansing Michigan), unlike bands that have managed to update or pay tribute to the genre. The Dogs probably had a lot of fun getting back together and recording these tunes. It’s hard to tell when they were written. The sort of awkward bravado of the lyrics and vocal delivery is straight out of the time capsule. The vocals in Suburban Nightmares suffer in the mix and the recording isn’t as powerful as the attitude. Basically, the performances weren’t quite captured. It’s not at all embarrassing like a re-formed and out of touch middle-agers trying to relive their youth… but the finished project tends to just fade into one long blur and nothing outstanding comes to mind. It’s a fun record that has a mix of serious angst and juvenile humor, but it’s not nearly as memorable as similar current efforts like the D4’s 6Twenty (a comparison I’m sure they’ll hate). If you judge it as a reunion album or against the current trend, the results are about the same..
Online Action: www.thedogsrock.com
Online Action: www.dionysusrecords.com
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