Sundogs

by Keith Nolan,
The seemingly indestructible rock quartet known as The Sundogs bite back with an energy-packed, self-titled six-track EP. The excellent Irish producer Gareth Manix, also responsible for the recent gold status Jerry Fish album, produced five of the songs on this EP, showing that this band mean business.
Featuring on the recent sell-out Gigsmart Ireland: Best of Irish Unsigned compilation album, “U Want It” is packed with all the essential classic rock vibes and vitamins that a body needs. Try waking up to a sunshine breakfast in the morning without “You want it, and you need it…” in your head. It’s tough
Singer Neil Bailey has a unique vocal style, kind of like an explosive mix of Axl Rose and Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden’s lead singer/airline pilot. Bailey’s voice has a confident, almost instrumental quality.
The Sundogs are certainly flying high when it comes to constructing solid rock songs, and this EP does a good job of conveying their live show energy to the listener. The improvised bass vamping techniques of bassist Alan McAdam, combined with the guitar solos of Pat McCondochie, work well to fill up the sound-field before locking back with the guitar for a finger-burning fretboard trip.
Hang Tight gives the drummer an opportunity to shake up the drum kit, and he does so in earnest with McCondochie producing some lightening-fast riffs. The warmness of Wasted is like a chemical rush of euphoric melodies, with a Hammond organ as a prominent feature in the song, giving it a lively and energizing feel.
Killed Her With A Song, featuring some fine piano and bass fusion, is a song of defiant independence—an independence that has shaped and driven the Sundogs to success and hopefully to international stardom in the future. Mixing some more funky 70s ideas into their diverse style is a recipe that works very well in Miss You When You’re Gone also.
Showing that despite all the hard work and blistered fingers, fun and enjoyment is still a core element in the band as they finish up with the Bobby Day classic, Rockin’ Robin with Jackson Five-style vocals. This will rustle the feathers of any pre-conceptions you may have about the playing style of the band and shows that they can thrust and parry like expert musical swordsmen in a match they are ultimately destined to win.
Having Manix on board helping them weave their tapestry of sounds for the forthcoming album is exciting. As they prepare for a hectic national and international tour schedule to coincide with the release, expect a progression of new ideas and styles marking another stage in the Sundogs evolutionary path.

2003-12-16
- ish magazine

“Phantom listener’s will remember the fabulous “killed her with a song” an up-beat score with an ingenious hook” - Hot Press

“Sundogs deliver with panache” - Hot Press

Featured on the Irish “Network 2” Television show “Fish”
Click the link to view text excerpts from the show

http://www.rte.ie/tv/fish/01032002/3iv.html
- Network 2 Television show Fish

sundogs_irl@yahoo.com

Receive full CMJ Radio airplay reports for June 04 by simply mailing your request to the above e-mail address.
- Space 380 Music Promotion

“Who Let The Sundogs Out”
No-nonsense quartet Sundogs should be back from their guest appearance at the NEMO convention in Boston by now.
Their impressive album Value for Volume cuts a swathe through the contemporary hard-Rock competition. ‘Falling Out’ starts out a bit Jethro Tullish but develops into a solid slow-burner before exploding into a joyous celebfest of anguished vocals and clattering guitars. Pat McCondochie adds terrific fretmelting guitar to the more uptempo ‘Always Yours’ which also boasts tight playing from bassist Alan McAdam and youthful drumsmith Ryan Heynes. The initially strident ‘Simple Thing’ shows they can also do subtle and melodic, that it’s not always full-tilt boogie time, with Neil Bailey’s impassioned vocals doing the biz like never before.

‘Jackie Hayden’ Hotpress – 27th November 2004
- Hotpress

‘Simply shit-hot!' - 98fm

'Impressive!' - fm104’s Strawberry Alarm Clock.