Fire Dog are a three-piece band from St Louis, USA, who describe themselves as a ‘pop rock harmony explosion,’ and on hearing their album, I couldn’t have put it better myself. Although the band generally plays to adult audiences, they have released their new album For The Kids after numerous requests to do so from their fans. The result is a superb album containing seven songs that are original, upbeat, engaging and delivered with fine musicianship throughout. The album also contains an array of interesting and diverse subject matter ranging from eventful birthdays, to historical characters, to conservation and beyond.
The album kicks off with the lively “Everybody Has A Birthday”. Here a grungy guitar sets the overall tone of
the track, providing a soundtrack to the various rituals of birthday parties,
with a particular emphasis on food. We
are reminded not to forget the ice cream during this festival of fun, which is
clearly a birthday party that ‘rocks’. The
guitar solo is pure grunge, intense and to the point, with children’s backing vocals
adding a shade of charm to the proceedings.
The bass improvises with some expertise towards the end, and we are also
treated to a lively drum solo unusually early in the proceedings. Clearly the band is quite at ease playing
live, and does so with impressive verve and spontaneity.
“You Don’t Know My Mama” has a gentler feel; it is slightly
funky, melodic and engaging in a melancholy type of way. We are informed that Mama who is clearly the
hero of the hour ‘is sweeter than a sweet potato’. The addition of a piano adds
further texture to the overall sound. The
song also includes a spoken tribute to Mama, which begins like Elvis before metamorphosing
into an engaging rap. Again the bass is
imaginative and experimental and deviates from the script throughout. I’m sure no major record company executive
would have approved such an ambitious arrangement, and the song is all the
better for it.
“I Love Myself,” is delivered with a grungy laid-back guitar,
accompanied by lyrics that illustrate the multiple reasons to feel good about
yourself. These include ‘being talented,
lucky and cool’. This is a great message
for young people, expertly assisted by some spirited kids’ backing vocals
providing additional enthusiasm to the track.
To add further chaos to the proceedings, the song finishes with a guitar
solo that reminded me of something Slash might have attempted back in the
nineties. Those were the days my
friends.
“Hellbender” is the single taken from the album and is a
tribute to Missouri’s Hellbender the largest salamander in North America and a
native amphibian to Missouri. The track
also features a voice over by renowned Canadian folk icon and activist Bruce Cockburn. The song itself reminded me a bit of the
Doors, with shades of Blondie thrown in for good measure. The middle eight features a spoken voice,
which is delivered in the style of a radio broadcast. The lyrics describe the threats to this
endangered species, with authentic background noise leaving the impression that
the recipient is actually tuning in to listen.
“Bessie Coleman” provides a tribute to the first female
pilot of African American descent, exploring her life, how famous she became and
all the resultant media attention. The
song itself powers along in uncompromising fashion with a no-nonsense message
musically elaborating on the prejudice of the age. However the chorus is uplifting, optimistic
even, perhaps implying how Bessie overcame the many challenges of life, and all
these ‘obstacles never giving up her dream.’
Despite the grungy garage vibe, the song is catchy, kid friendly and
upbeat, with a chorus that truly soars like an aeroplane. I literally had it
swirling around my head all day.
“Chame” mixes an
interesting bass line with an acutely percussive rhythm to create a lovely ska
feel. The song discusses the plight of
indigenous people, their ancient language, and the stories they tell. The title apparently means ‘let’s go’, and
some of the lyrics use the indigenous language to pursue the message. The
guitar part that ensues is more melodic and suits the ska feel with its
slightly cleaner sound. The song also
benefits from some interesting key changes at the end, and elaborate percussion
finally giving way to some crunchy power chords bringing up the rear.
“For The Birds” is quite simply brilliant, and provides a
perfect finale to the album. The song itself
is quite stripped back, with perhaps no more than four chords on display, allowing
space for the lyrics to really soar. The
song also benefits from a quite mesmerising piece of guitar work, which
literally lifts you off your seat. The
major strength of the track is its instantly hummable melody, which is both
unique and original. The additional
children’s backing vocals add further dynamics to a song, which for me is
clearly the best track on the album.
This album is great fun, has musical
depth, and contains interesting subject matter.
The tone is upbeat and positive, and there is literally never a dull
moment. The album is packed with songs
that are diverse, imaginative and brimming with pop sensibility. There is also a wonderful spontaneity to the
music, with the band leaving the impression that they have recorded the entire
album jamming in the garage. Despite the
somewhat organic delivery, the album is well produced, and superbly arranged
throughout. The songs have heaps of
attitude, are full of energy, and contain melodies that are second to none. Despite
its brevity, the album clearly succeeds in providing an authentic message
brimming with energy and optimism for the twenty-first century.
Fire Dog – bold, intriguing and brilliant.
