King039s X - Dogman (14 tracks) +Album Reviews

A great effort from an unapppreciated band

Whitey D | Wilmington, DE | 06/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While King's X's fan base is incredibly strong and supportive, the general public have missed out on one of the best rock bands of the 80's, 90's, and now. Dogman is a bluesy hard rock album which occasionally takes a break to pump out some thoughtful and melodic ballads. Doug Pinnick dominates this album, and his singing is in tip top shape. He wails with abandon but never loses track of himself and the music. Ty Tabor's guitar playing is stylish and heavy, but at times gentle and restrained. Jerry Gaskill backs these two musicians up with strong drumming and percussion (not to mention helping out with those vocal melodies). Highlights include the heavy blues of Dogman, the heavy pop of Pretend, the gentle and meaninful Flies & Blue Skies, the wonderfully dynamic Fool You and the staggering melodic power of Ciggarettes, arguably the album's best track. This album is an incredibly strong offering of blues infused metal and hard rock mixed with some beautiful slow tunes. To miss out on this record is a sore mistake, and anyone with an appreciation for great rock n' roll with a heavy edge had best run to their nearest CD store and scarf this one up. Thanks for reading. (Like this review? Don't forget those nice helpful buttons below it...you want to hit yes don't you...yes...yes...)Dan :-D"

It should've won Album of the year

Daniel Hayes | Clermont, FL. USA | 06/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I remember delivering pizzas the day that this album came out, and the title cut was borderline violent. I'm like "This is King's X?" A month later I bought the tape, and of course I could never get enough of the title cut, but other songs came along too like "Shoes", "Pretend", "Sunshine Rain", and the other monster of a song "Human Behavior". This one blew Nirvana, Alice In Chains, and Soundgarden off the stage. It did good enough to bubble under the top 40 for awhile, but like Christian artists they don't mix too well on the regular charts. A real shame. This should've been album of the year."

The last great King's X CD

David Lerner | Columbia, MD USA | 02/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After separating from their longtime producer/manager Sam Taylor in 1991, King's X came thundering back in 1994 with what, in my opinion, is their strongest album. Atlantic Records set them up with Brendan O'Brien, who was one of the biggest rock producers of the time (most notably producing Pearl Jam's best work). O'Brien brought a sound that was more stripped down than their highly polished first four albums, and though it brought a different element to the band, it fit the songs on Dogman perfectly.

O'Brien's production brought Doug Pinnick's bass further up in the mix than it had ever been before, and peeled back the layers and layers of Ty Tabor's trademark guitar parts, until it was much more of a guitar/bass/drums trio. Gone are the occasional sitar riffs, crunching rhythmic breaks, and layers of guitar under Ty's solos that Sam Taylor had made into a trademark of the band's sound. The group's trademark three part harmonies are also pushed more onto the back burner as well. The result is a darker, heavier, and more raw sound for the band.

However, with the combination of musical influences that Doug, Ty and Jerry Gaskill bring to the table, King's X still maintain a unique flavor to their music. O'Brien's leanings toward grunge music, combined with the band's penchant for tight rhythms, Beatlesque harmonies, Doug's soulful vocals, and all-around top notch musicianship, make for a classic, and tragically overlooked, album."

Grunge style, "King's X-ified".

M. Berger | Orlando, FL USA | 04/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Reflecting the moody grunge of the day (1994) while still maintaining the band's stylistic dignity, King's X put together this underrated gem that ranks among their best. (Okay so all of their CDs are underrated gems!) Rich, deliberate, at times primal, and distinctly dark, this release expands on the band's prior musical endeavors but still fuses King's X's unmistakeable style of funk-ish rock and awkwardly cool chord progressions. That said, this is as close to mainstream as I've ever heard King's X get.This CD would be a fantastic listen for someone who likes Soundgarden/Alice In Chains, Rush/Yes, AND Dave Weckl/The Brecker Brothers. Just be forewarned that the predominant element is the edgy grunge, and it may be too much "hard rock" for some. To paint a clearer picture, if you have a baby in the womb and you want a peaceful childhood, DO NOT listen to this CD repeatedly! Compared to their other releases, there is some clear anger and aggression being played out in this release...but don't worry, King's X is not a hate-yell metal band.Overall this is a wonderful CD for those in the right (or wrong) mood to listen to it. There are some weaker tracks, although all have some redeeming value in my opinion. However the songs titled Dogman, Shoes, Pretend, Black the Sky, and Pillow are all undeniably rockers. King's X is one of my favorite bands, partly because they aren't mainstream and don't sell out to every new style that comes out. In "Dogman," they DO incorporate some additional grunge style into their music but DON'T incorporate their music into grunge. Admirable for sure!FOR KING'S X VIRGINS: If you might enjoy hearing this band's markedly unique style of rock from its roots, I would recommend starting from the very beginning, borrowing "Out of the Silent Planet" from a friend first. Then buy Gretchen Goes to Nebraska and really indulge yourself in that listen. "Gretchen" is frequently recognized as one of the best CDs in rock music history, although most mainstream rock fans aren't familiar with it. So you need to hear "Gretchen" before you can start to pass judgment on this band. Next, Faith Hope Love is also fantastic, and their self-titled CD released in 1992 is severely underrated in my opinion. (Track 5, "Chariot Song," for example, is one of the average tunes on the CD but contains an allusion to all the band's prior CDs, which I find hilarious and makes the whole song worth it!) Only after listening to the others a few times do I recommend spinning the "Dogman" CD, so that you can understand the full impact of the band's style change on this CD.BOTTOM LINE: For those who appreciate unique bands in the rock and jazz/funk genres, King's X's "Dogman" is worth considering for your collection. For current King's X fans, you'll love the metamorphasis from the "King's X" you know as they change into a "Dogman" on this CD!"

Absolutly Crushing!

Roy Phillips | Fort Myers, Florida United States | 06/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This my friends is my favorite kinkg's x cd. This is as crushing as Panteras Vulger display of power, Slayers Reign In Blood, Metellicas Master Of Puppets.

By crushing I mean the overall heaviness of the entire cd. When I first put this on I could not believe how brutal yet melodic it was! Every song fits like a glove. There's no way anyone should give this anything less then 5 stars. Crank it up and tell me Dogman doesn't sound like a giant slamming his feet to the ground crushing everything around him!"

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	King's X Dogman Genres: Pop, Rock, Metal, Christian & Gospel Track Listings (14) - Disc #1 Dogman Shoes Pretend Flies And Blue Skies Black The Sky Fool You Don't Care Sunshine Rain Complain Human Behavior Cigarettes Go To Hell Pillow Manic Depression No Description Available No Track Information Available Media Type: CD Artist: KING'S X Title: DOGMAN Street Release Date: 01/18/1994
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