CD REVIEW: DOGS OR GODS – hiSTORIES

Shane | 27 July 2017 | Reply

CD REVIEW: DOGS OR GODS – hiSTORIES
Independent
2017
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7/10

The three core members of DOG – aka Dogs or Gods – bring a wealth of experience to this second album, hiSTORIES, most notably bassist/singer Tony Butler’s stellar career with Big Country through their first eight albums, as well as many session appearances for the likes of Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Steve Lillywhite and The Pretenders – who also offered him the bass guitarist with the band. Notably guitarist and singer Tom Norden and drummer Colin Wright have many years experience playing in smaller bands in the UK.

The result of their collaboration is a sprawling album which is admirably difficult to pigeon hole. It doesn’t sound like Big Country, The Pretenders or Townshend or Daltrey – though it comes from a similar place to all of these acts.

Norden’s guitar is strident, spikey where necessary, angular at times, and always engaging, whilst the rhythm section is unfaultable. There’s a touch of David Bowie here and there – notably on Easy For You To Say – and some tasty slide on Devil’s Own, and a crunchy, heavy sound on the near-spoken word Flashback Jimmy, a highlight of the album. November Sky is another mostly spoken word piece, again creating an evocative lyrical painting to enjoy.

hiSTORIES is an album likely to fly under most people’s radar, without a high profile media campaign behind it, and being completely out of step with the modern music industry in that it sounds better with successive listens. That would be a shame as there is some great songs here, bound to appeal to fans of the aforementioned classic rock/pop acts.