Songdog want to tell you a lot of stories
There are some acts who you feel have nothing to say at all and there are others who try to put a story into every song they release. Songdog, a Welsh trio, appear to be trying to force a novel onto their fans, as their songs are extremely story-led.
Its no surprise to discover that Songdogs lyricist also writes plays as you feel at times some of the songs are just too full of imagery and storylines. Occasionally, the need to fit the story into the song impacts on the melodies, which is a pity as there are times when the vocals are quite impressive. However, the instances where melodic variation is lost are balanced by the flow of the rhythm the vocals provide, coming across as an additional instrument adding to the delicate wall of sound.
At times, the sheer strength of lyrical weight threatens to overpower a lot of the instrumentation, which is a shame as its obvious it has been well worked and played. The understated nature of the backing music brings to mind some of Nick Drakes lighter work and the slow pace of the opening tracks seem indebted to songwriters of this ilk.
The female vocals on 'Fairytale' come as a good change offering relief from a darker backing track that could be likened to Neil Young's more atmospheric output from the early 1990's. This song provides a good contrast to the initial slow paced lighter songs and adds more colour to the record.
In covering The Clash's 'Janie Jones', the opportunity to up the tempo a bit again breaks the singular paced feel and offers the listener some familiarity to base the music upon. It may not appeal to many Clash fans as it takes the original and turns it into a soft lament but many listeners would appreciate the warmness of the track.
The track also acts as a turning point for the record with the following tracks having some life and vigour about them. 'Jerusalem Road' has an almost 'Ziggy Stardust' feel to it and this song comes across as the most fun the band had during the making of the record.
The album has a feel of lazy days and grey skies. It is not an overly joyous or summer time record but its reflective and allows the listener to sink into it and get lost for its duration. This may not be what the listener usually wants from their music but from time to time, when the mood hits, this record can fill a hole in any record collection. Nice isn't always the most helpful or complimentary adjective but it’s one that suits this record very well.