Dog Day

Dog Day
Thank You
(Out of touch)
When Burdocks frontman Seth Smith created Hi Firey, a side project to serve as an outlet for his folkier tunes, he likely didn’t expect the endeavour to turn out like this. Now, combining half of the scrappy Burdocks with half of the street punks The Hold, Dog Day has evolved into a fun — almost sugar-coated — pop-rock band. The punk edge is still there, but the arrangements reflect a more light-hearted love-in, which only makes sense, since the band contains a pair of couples...but they ain’t no ABBA! Smith’s simple, yet effective, guitar leads and meek vocals are perfectly complimented by the pumping basslines and well-orchestrated backing vocals from his companion and collaborator, Nancy Urich, while bang-on drumming from Casey Spidle combined with the innovative yet minimalist keystrokes from his girlfriend, Crystal Thili, make Dog Day one hell of a cohesive unit. With an overall vibe akin to The Vaselines and compositions ranging in style from the quirkiness of Brendan Benson (“Use Your Powers,” “Love Makes It Mad”) to the wackier side of Thrush Hermit (“Sharp Teeth”), Dog Day still sounds related to the Burdocks — only more like a long-lost cousin with a fresh new sound. Barely exceeding 20 minutes, Thank You leaves much to be desired — but in a good way. While one’s musical thirst may not quite be quenched after a single listen, the pop gems are so well-penned and arranged that it easily elevates the level of anticipation for the next album.
Jon Bruhm
categories: Coast pick