A double-A sided release of contrasts – in length of song title if nothing less!
Are El Dog the next in line to follow Biffy Clyro and more recently, Twin Atlantic up the Alternative Rock escalator from Glasgow to stardom? Possibly. (I know technically Biffy are not from Glasgow as such, but we still claim them.)
This is not really my particular bag as far as musical taste goes, and consequently I have used all my relevant reference points already, but I think there are similarities between El Dog and their fellow denizens. Hard rocking in bits, there are plenty of time changes, quiet little breakdowns, emotive singing and explosions back into heavy rock mode.
I dare say I would enjoy this more in a live situation and with a couple of beers, but as far as listening on a CD goes, it’s all a bit ‘emo for grown-ups’ for me. Never-the-less it’s certainly well crafted and well executed, and with the two afore-mentioned bands now playing more distant venues, EL DOG provide an excellent alternative for those – especially in Scotland, at the moment – who require their fix of quality alt-rock.
