LOU DOG
Slowly Drifting (Home Brew Jams)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Since leaving the NYC art rock band The Dangerous Shoe (which he describes as "Can meets the Flaming Lips") in the mid-nineties, Lou Dog has been hanging out in Philadelphia recording low-fi tape and CD releases in his home-based Shoe Shine Studio. Slowly Drifting is compiled from songs created for those releases, in some cases using the original demo tracks, in others presenting his first professionally produced material (with the help of producer Bogdan Hernik) recorded at Philly's Indre Recording Studio.

Wherever and however he made the music, Lou Dog has compiled an interesting body of material, reflecting his affection for Bob Dylan and Lou Reed and a perspective formed by his own experience, mainly on the downside of male/female relationships. (Dog makes the point that his first songs were primarily instrumental because he hadn't accumulated enough life experience to have anything to write about. It's a noble position that one can only wish more "songwriters" would emulate.) His art rock background is reflected in his use of a sound collage approach on some tracks and his sometimes more spoken than sung approach to vocals. It all works, though, to create a baker's dozen tracks that actually hold my interest despite what sometimes seems to be a deliberate attempt to challenge the listener's tolerance for material that often seems deliberately anti-commercial.

Since compiling Slowly Drifting Lou Dog has relocated to Long Island, reestablished Shoe Shine Studio and has created 18 new tracks for release in the fall of 2002. Based on the evidence here it's going to be one worth looking for. Meanwhile, Slowly Drifting can be yours with a simple visit to www.loudogmusic.com, and it's a trip worth taking.

Track List:

The Second Time Around * Slowly Drifting * Razor Blades * Improbable Mystery Rider * Purgatory In Durango * High Romance * Hey There Honey * Feelin' Fine * At Ease * Special Ed And The Surf Jam * Still Want It All * Vacant And Used * Champagne

© 2002 - Shaun Dale