Seattle's Moondoggies play timeless American music. Warm three-part harmonies, gothic Rhodes organ, and wanderlust guitar mark a sound rooted in boogie blues and cosmic country. Whipsmart songwriting leads to hook-heavy tu... more »nes that bristle with originality. Shades of gospel, blues, rock, and country commingle, and wall-of-sound harmonies radiate joy and passion. The influences of The Band, The Byrds, and especially early Grateful Dead are evident, though The Moondoggies' lyrical economy and compositional sensibility render these tracks fresh and unique.« less
Seattle's Moondoggies play timeless American music. Warm three-part harmonies, gothic Rhodes organ, and wanderlust guitar mark a sound rooted in boogie blues and cosmic country. Whipsmart songwriting leads to hook-heavy tunes that bristle with originality. Shades of gospel, blues, rock, and country commingle, and wall-of-sound harmonies radiate joy and passion. The influences of The Band, The Byrds, and especially early Grateful Dead are evident, though The Moondoggies' lyrical economy and compositional sensibility render these tracks fresh and unique.
Michael L. (Popmeister) from READING, PA Reviewed on 3/5/2009...
alt-country, folk rock, jam band. sounds like the Grateful Dead
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
Good debut
Greg Kinne | midwest | 07/09/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Hailing from Seattle, The Moondoggies are a band that does not follow preconceptions of what they're supposed to sound like based on their locality. Taking a page from the 1970's, The Moondoggies create an easy going and likable sound rooted in psychedelia and roots rock. The Moondoggies proudly pay tribute to their influences of the Grateful Dead, CSNY and The Byrds on `Don't Be A Stranger.'
As the drifting "Ain't No Lord" opens the album with a sweet melody, "Ol' Blackbird" drives up the pace with a southern rock boogie. By the time "Changing" appears, the Moondoggies incorporate a guitar solo that would make Crazy Horse proud. The down home performances of "Long Time Coming" with its rolling piano segue next to the spare "Old Hound." `Don't Be A Stranger' is an honest and unpretentious listen, something that can't be said of many modern rock albums. Check it out if you're into similar stuff like Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, or even My Morning Jacket before they went south."
A feel good record for our grim times
M. Atwell | Los Angeles | 10/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a new favorite for me. Holy smokes-"Changing" is an extremely catchy song. The music is in the family of "The Band", but not so much as to be derivative. I like the clean way this record is produced. You can ride the awesome bass lines and feel the punch of the electric piano. I feel strangely optimistic after each listening. I would bet these guys are great live."
Best of the genre
John D. Engel | 10/12/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"for all of the hype given to group like band of horses and my morning jacket I think these guys raise the bar and I am not just sayin it cause they are from my town. Although I have never been much of a Gratefull Dead fan, the influence here is obvious but the melodies are more accessible and vibrant. This classic 70s rock sensibility currently blowing cross the country is a bit too cleaned up for my ears but this somehow sounds like the kind of thing you could put on at a party and make pretty much everyone happy."