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Dog Fashion Disco - Sweet Nothings review




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Reviewer:
7.8

26 users:
7.77
Band: Dog Fashion Disco
Album: Sweet Nothings
Release date: July 2014


01. Greta
02. War Party
03. Scarlet Fever
04. Tastes So Sweet
05. Doctor's Orders
06. Envy The Vultures
07. Approach And Recede
08. Down The Rabbit Hole
09. We Aren't The World
10. Struck By Lightning
11. Sweet Nothings
12. Pale Horse
13. End Of The Road
14. Untitled

Babe, is this for real?

Say nothings and you mightn't get anywhere, but say Sweet Nothings and you'll wind up here. Where is here exactly? Here is another reunion and eight years since Adultery was committed, and it's best to bet that there lurks a bit of madness behind the new utterances from the Rockvillian culprit, Dog Fashion Disco.

Dog Fashion Disco aren't quite as mentally unstable as Mr. Bungle, but they do well to have themselves housed in the same asylum, albeit in a wing with saner denizens. Their speciality is hard rock and metal mashed together in avant-garde amalgam with untethered eclecticism and myriad borrowings external to metal, resulting in another set of strange songs you never really knew you needed to hear. Somewhat sinister, always cajoling and generally upbeat, this toe-tapping tirade is delivered with all the sternness and no-nonsense attitude of a pack of clowns. Speaking of which, what is the word for a group of clowns?

Amongst the Sweet Nothings there's that sexy sax to sate all the horny jazzmen and jazzladies out there, and there's really no saxier breakdown than getting truly "Struck By Lightning." And funk me, that title track! With this reformation album Dog Fashion Disco succeed where others often fail; producing an avant-garde record that is as smoothly digestible as it is adventurous and varied. It's not an easy task to create what is both accessible as well as quirkily diverse in its influences. The metal tones contained within are also nicely ranging, from the bursts of modern thrash reminiscent of Annihilator in the circus frivolity of "War Party," to the much more avant-garde progressions of "Envy The Vultures."

The abundance of distinguishing features are too numerous to list in short, however what can be said is that their spread throughout the record keeps a little surprise up the sleeve of each and every track. Instrumentation moves from funk to flute at the drop of a high-hat, and the vocal range of Todd Smith fills many roles in a similar multifaceted style as that possessed by Mike Patton himself.

The production mars the rhythmic qualities to the record and the drums in particular, whilst providing an effective beat, resound dully with a noticeable plasticity. Otherwise the instrumentation and vocal arrangements are heard clearly in all their assorted glory.

The dapper Dog Fashion Disco have reunited once again to tell us all intimately; shhh, this one's for you baby.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Production: 8





Written on 27.07.2014 by R'Vannith enjoys music, he's hoping you do too.


Comments

Comments: 9   Visited by: 159 users
27.07.2014 - 21:33
Rating: 8
mz

Very well written review. I agree with it, despite the fact that I'd rate it a little higher. Seriously, I wonder why this band is not famous. More people need to check this as it is really an easy and sweet record.
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Giving my ears a rest from music.
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28.07.2014 - 08:32
PocketMetal

Your reviews are so good they make me wanna stop writing altogether. I didn't even know there was a reunion.
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28.07.2014 - 10:45
Ivor
Staff
Great review indeed, it's nice to see when music inspires the writing about it. And the album is also great fun. It's the first time I listen to DFD but I like what I hear.

I.
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No friends for playing games
No foes who scorn my name
Computerized machines of steel and rust
/---/
No friends in my house on Mars
No foes in my house on Mars
I was born in my house on Mars
I will die in my house on Mars
-- Ayreon - My House on Mars
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28.07.2014 - 11:34
BloodTears
ANA-thema
With that name, this has to be good
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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28.07.2014 - 14:04
Rating: 8
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Woah, thanks for such kind words guys. And thanks for reading!
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28.07.2014 - 14:07
Rating: 8
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Written by BloodTears on 28.07.2014 at 11:34

With that name, this has to be good


I think their music really does live up to the zaniness of their name.
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28.07.2014 - 21:59
In5anity

The album sounds like a best of "What happened in Todd Smiths garage the last 8 years". You hear Polkadot Cadaver (War Party), Knives out! (Pale Horse), El Creepo (End of the road) and Alter Boys (Tastes so sweet), all mixed with some good ol' DFD. Great album, yet I agree that there are some fillers. For me it feels like they shouldn't release four albums in two years (DFD, PD, Knives out! and El Creepo). If they took the best of those four albums, you'd get two of the best experimental albums you've heard in a long time.
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29.07.2014 - 01:27
Rating: 8
Doge of Venice

This is a great review for a great album. I do really love that they are back.
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29.07.2014 - 13:55
-Morbid-

I'll have to check this out. I saw these guys live years ago with Scum of the Earth at a Halloween concert... I remember liking them quite a bit but I never came across any of their albums and kinda forgot about them.
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