The Coggs

"WOOOOO!" That's all I could hear the last time I was up in Ottawa to see The Coggs. It took a little while to realize that it was me yelling. Their covers of some White Stripes tunes and a few other classics - that I won't spoil here, you'll have to go see them - will leave you breathless between screams of delight. But enough with the live show lets get to the album (Which was free, thanks guys...suckers)

Band: The Coggs
Album: Blackjack and Cigarettes
MEMBERS: Jeff Coghill, Travis Hood, Mike Brittain

[4 stars]

Their first self-produced, full-length album. And it sounds great, you can bet there was some partying after this was finished. The 11 track album has no filler, you can listen to every song, the whole album, no crap to skip over.

A style that involves a little of everything, some blues, a little rock and roll, a country feeling. Many of the songs start out with a nice, bluesy riff that immediately gets one's attention. The drums pop with a lot of snare and keep an excellent rhythm the [sic] throughout the songs. The lkyrics are intelligent and phoenetically pleasing (bonus points for mentioning Ontario in a song). Though they stick with a mainly bulues and rock song style, you can tell from their raw talent that they could play any type of music if they really wanted to....

All in all, I really liked this album. The songs were good, the flow was great. It was indeed the perfect album to listen to on a Tuesday night while I was fighting traffic to get to the liquor store on time - a great road trip album....

Check out some of the songs out on the web because you will be surprised and delighted.

www.thecoggs.com
www.myspace.com/thecoggs

- Josh - Tambourine Magazine

The Coggs are doing in Ottawa, Canada what Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton did with “Fresh Cream” in London, England forty years ago. They have put a stamp on their own kind of blues. The Coggs have taken the rawness of punk, power of rock, the love of and feel of the blues to make their own style of blues. Just like Cream did all those years ago. “Mean Dog Howl” has no bad songs, no fillers, no long drawn out songs that waste your time. Each song delivers the power and energy that is lacking in so many songs today...The Coggs deliver 100 percent. It is not only time to hear this CD it is time to see The Coggs. Ever Friday at The Rainbow in Ottawa, Canada three men step on stage, their pack will start howling. Their sound will assure all that the blues are not dead, it just has a new name, The Coggs. - Mark @ A1 Artist Spotlight

(Blackjack & Cigarettes) I enjoyed this CD very much and would recommend anyone who likes this genre of music to add it to their collection. No bad tracks here just good music from a good band....the key to success is originality and these guys have it.
- CD Baby

Written by Shawn McLaren
Wednesday, 16 April 2008

All the way from the hills of Parliament, Ottawa based rockers The Coggs electrified a packed crowd at the Townhouse Tavern on April 5.

Reminiscent of hard rocking groups like the White Stripes and Death From Above 1979, the Coggs tore through a heavy hitting set of rock and roll leaving their fans asking for more. The trio, comprised of Jeff Coghill (guitar and vocals), Mike Brittan (drums) and Travis Hood (bass), have been paying their dues in the Canadian indie scene since coming together in 2003.I
There latest effort “Mean Dog Howl” is filled with 13 tracks laced with powerful riffs, heavy melodies, edgy lyrics and a pervasive rock and roll spirit that honours the band’s influences like The Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughn and AC/DC.
Hitting the road to promote their sophomore offering, this is the bands first time in Sudbury. Lead singer, Jeff Coghill expressed his excitement saying “I love Sudbury. It’s cool man. Its good to get out of the bureaucracy of Ottawa and come to a fun town once in a while.”
The Cogg’s first album “Blackjack and Cigarettes” was named one of Ottawa’s best independent albums by CHUO Radio in 2006. The bands continuous string of shows all over the Ottawa area has created a strong fan base in their home town. When asked what their favourite venue was, the band uninamously agreed that The Rainbow Bistro in Ottawa was the best.
The Coggs head back to Ottawa for a much needed break after leaving Sudbury. They intend to tour all over Eastern Canada in July.
Last Updated ( Friday, 18 April 2008 )
- The Cambrian Sheild

This album, really has it’s twist and turns and there seem to be surprises everywhere. “Raised by Wolves” is full on, rock and this is where the band really seem to be at their most comfortable. The vocals are a little akin to an angry slur, but it really adds to the raw feel. The title track “Mean Dog Howl”, draws much from the classic blues rock guitarists like Clapton, in his John Mayall / Yardbirds days. It’s an incessant driving force that is hard to stay immobile to.

I love the vibe on “Pissin’ in My Ear” and it is in fact probably my favourite track on the album. It has a much lighter sound and reminds me of the great 90s band, Ocean Colour Scene....

“Eleven” is another of the tracks that really have that Clapton feel, but here it’s more in his Cream phase, which is certainly a compliment to the bands playing skills. “You Don’t Lie Well” rounds off this 13 track offering and it rounds it off with a bark rather than a whimper.

Conclusion : This is a band that I’d really be interested in seeing perform live. They have that aura of a band that would be quite stellar....this is a very well crafted and accomplished album, that showcases the band nicely
- Indie LaunchPad