BLIND DOG - Captain Dog Rides Again

Mark

Not blessed, or merciful
Apr 11, 2001
7,134
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Sarf Lundin, Innit
BLIND DOG - Captain Dog Rides Again
Meteor City - MCY-029
2003

By Mark Bridgeman

blinddog.jpg


When it comes to riff-heavy, fuzz-driven rock, Sweden is not a place one would think about in the first instance - unless you were clued into the Stoner scene, of course. BLIND DOG are another fine Swedish fuzz pedigree and present here, their second full-length album on Meteor City (the label reissued the band's self-released debut, 'The Last Adventures Of Captain Dog' [MCY-015]), a fine collection of rock songs with a heavy bass belly, and flared stomping legs.

Tobias Nilsson's vocals are throat-deep, heavy, and perfect for this low-slung rock that the Dog are capable of pumping out. And before I go any further, I will blatantly say: there are times on this album when the melody that's hidden among, between and within the riffs shakes me. Not in a "Oh, hey look, there's Jesus" way, but in a "my fuck, this is MUSIC" way. If you get me.

As always, a Sabbath-esque sound is here (particularly on track 5), but they've also blended in a mesh of classic rock sounds, late 80s/early 90s riff/seattle rock, and lay it down just... so.

The drumming is superb, and the whole band sits tightly atop it, shuffling, swaying, and (when the moment's right), kicking out into a full-on jam-rock feeling.

The production on this one is perfect for the sound they need - too many stoner rocks go for a 'vintage tube sound', which usually just means it sounds shit. Not so here.

It's music like this that makes me want to give up everything and just listen to rock music all day. Socially irresponsible, perhaps, but soulfully fullfilling.

*

Meteor City Records

Blind Dog Official Site

Captain Dog Rides Again and The Last Adventures Of Captain Dog are both available from the UM Store.