undadogg

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Undadogg — Jinx

Taking their cue from Portishead, Canadian-based trip-hop group Undadogg boasts a female crooner who has tremendous range amid stylistic trip-hop. Perfect for lounges or just hanging around the house doing chores, “Jinx” is a great album that is sexy enough to seemingly be the audio equivalent of knee high stockings. The only problem you’ll have with this EP is that it’s so short—we need more damn it!

- J-Sin, Posted on May 5 2006 - smother.net

Undadogg: Jinx :: 01.28. | http://www.triphop.hu-review-undadogg

“Jinx” CD

This Toronto band puts 'heartbreak trip hop' on his signboard. 'Slow rock music with trippin potential' more like, but we enjoyed very much their open-minded approach to music. Singer/lyricist Andrea Lucarelli is definitely determining the moody musical world of Undadogg, who just released its 'Jinx' EP.Check their website and keep your ears close, especially to 'Butterfly disease' - triphop.hu

The six song Jinx Ep starts with a beautiful downtempo song called 'Butterfly disease', that has just enough edge and a nice radio-friendly melody to rise up as the most played and maybe even the best track on the Ep. Andreas voice is very delightful to hear and her performance is filled with emotion. Second track 'Decoy' is a bit faster, but maybe even too traditional pop-rock/trip hop song for my taste. Bit more darker and emotional song is a song called Succumb, that is both, a very calm and downbeat song, but at the same time just gives you a kind of floating at the sky feeling (*) 'Simple Truths' armed with bit more heavy beats works very good with it's nice melody and singing. and the song 'Wake' literally wakes you up with it's great rising beats. The ending song, a kind of flamenco meets pop-rock style 'Conejo blanco' is sure interesting, , I still found it playing in my head few days after.
Overall Undadogg's sound is interesting mix of traditional rock pop and trip hop elements. In Europe the band's sound may not be so totally original as it may overseas, but it's still enough to stand out from the crowd.

review by: Janne Pirkola <http://www.trip404.com> - trip 404

Undadogg
- Jinx

Label: Unsigned

Kicking off with a very jazzy cover of Jefferson Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ – Certainly a popular cover track, and they do give it a Latino-rock sound which actually suits the song very well. So it’s welcome to Toronto based rock-and-classy act Undadogg.

There is an assured sexiness about the music and vocals, blending thrash riffs into what should otherwise be classy jazz-rock. ‘Wake’ is a good example of this blend whilst ‘Simple Truths’ and ‘Succumb’ shows their more relaxed Lounge style incorporating trip-beats and some good old-fashioned soulful lyrics into the mix.

By the time ‘Decoy’ has heartfully drifted by and the Neneh Cherry-esque ‘Butterfly Disease’ slowly fades there is no arguing Undadogg’s conviction. There is a strong will behind each note and passion throughout to support the fact that whatever they bring forth next will be worth investigating. A break out record would be nice.

Certainly as far as the band’s talents go, there is no reason why they can’t succeed. I just hope they like hard work.


Review by: Steven Hurst- www.glassswerk.co.uk | view review online - glasswerk review- UK

Chartattack CMW 2003 Report Card Alright, who let this band into CMW? I'd like to personally thank that person for making these shows that much easier for me to enjoy. I'm still a little bit speechless. It's not that I don't expect much from CMW, it's just that I've learned that not every band is going to make you want to listen to them for more than half of their first song. This group actually left me wanting more. I'm not sure if it was due to the fact that they only played for 25 minutes or the fact that I almost peed my pants when I heard great musicians and a great singer in the same band. I'm feeling a little guilty for getting to see them during CMW while everyone else is stuck watching 15-year-old white kids doing gangsta rap or something else just as ridiculous.

Undadogg has the basic drummer, guitarist, bassist and singer set-up. What sets them apart from other bands is that they all know how to do what they're doing well. There is no need for violins or turntables or bongos to make this group sound good. - chart attack

Band: Undadogg
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Venue: Tequila Lounge
Date: March 5, 2004
Reporter: Manuela Spizzirri

A four-piece, female-fronted, trip-hop band that is as dark and moody as it is hard rockin’.With heavy bass lines mixed with trippy drum beats and a sultry, sexy voice, how can you go wrong?They can pull off sexiness without having to be dirty or raunchy. They're just plain cool. - chart attack

Klublife 'ANO DE DOLO' review "These guys are a local Toronto based band, best described as a depressingly uplifting blur of Portishead meets Smashing Pumpkins. This music is the best music to sit and feel sorry about yourself to, cause when you're done feeling sorry about yourself you'll end up feeling great. 'Ano de dolor' is a journey. This is a live band, yet they incorporate an experimental sound canvas that feels almost electronic. The rhythms are down tempo and an almost muted vibe positively shines through groove of this album. The stories Undadogg tell are reminiscent of the melancholy feeling of sadness present when two lovers part ways. It's great music to relax to on a hazy Sunday afternoon." Shine - klublife magazine

download.com - Reviews of undadogg http://music.download.com/3600-8992-100835691.html

EDITOR'S REVIEW

This being 2005, even the heirs apparent to Massive Attack and Portishead hail from Toronto? It seems there's no genre the Canadians haven't mastered. And while the group's success is still mostly regional, its blend of blessed-out trip-hop beats and sweeping, sultry vocals should have no problem crossing the border. - download.com

Vibes
Local dub champions throw down with downtempo diva
By BENJAMIN BOLES

ANDREA LUCARELLI with VERSION XCURSION, DJ REDNOTE and UNDADOGG at Andy Poolhall (489 College), Saturday (December 2). $5, $10 w/ CD.

Sassa'le and Aram Scaram (better known as the duo Version Xcursion) have been the local champions of new dub for some time, using their CKLN radio show, club nights and record label to push the modern tangents dub has taken.

At this month's edition of their Dub & Beyond party, they're celebrating the release of their newest single, a collaboration with Andrea Lucarelli of downtempo chill-out band Undadogg.

"I love what they play. Their show on Saturday nights is absolutely awesome," Lucarelli gushes. "You don't really hear a lot of shit like that, so it's nice to have those guys playing it. I knew when they asked me to collaborate that I'd love what I heard."

The process was quite different from the way she's used to working with her own band. Instead of a group-based writing approach, VX gave her some instrumentals and she wrote her part separately. They only got together when it was time to record the vocals in the studio.

"I've really only played with my band before this. I was always reluctant to play with other people – out of loyalty, I suppose. I've realized, though, that if it's with like-minded musicians, good people we respect who are on the same wavelength and vibe as us, then it's not cheating."

Undadogg have a long history with Version Xcursion, so it's unlikely that the other members would see this collaboration as musical infidelity. They'll be playing a live acoustic version of their mellow triphop pop earlier in the evening while the show is being broadcast from the club, so you can listen from home to hear how Portishead might sound if they were a folk band.

This acoustic version of Undadogg was actually developed for a previous Dub & Beyond but has since become a semi-regular thing for the usually much more electrified band.

"It allows us to play at a lot more venues – smaller, more intimate venues that aren't fully equipped for bands. And it's a lot easier than lugging all the gear around."

Hopefully, they'll manage to document some of that side of their sound when they go into the studio this winter to spend the government grant money they were recently blessed with, although the temptation will obviously be toward bigger rather than smaller.

- NOW Magazine- Dec 06

It was Sunday night at El Mocambo a local venue in the Downtown Toronto area. My rap partner Temus and I hooked up for Soul Sessions Part One which hosted a slew of local talents including two of my dearest friends; vocalists KaySun and Jennie Laws. Both of which are on my latest solo album so of course I had to show my support.
I was outside during a set change having a cigarette... (I know it’s bad, I’ve cut down a lot and will eventually quit) ...anyways I was talking shit with some dude outside about studio equipment and computers when I heard this sound that reminded me of Portishead. I flicked my cigarette and went back inside to find Temus. When I walked into the bar I found myself hypnotized by this erotic voice and in a trance by the rest of the bands instruments. Picture this; Two huge twins, one playing drums and one playing guitar (Ruben and Remi Miguez), Christian Kada playing keyboards, Mitch Peake playing bass and in the middle a sexy singer/lyricist Andrea Lucarelli...damn!!! She is the front Woman of the 5 piece Toronto band that incorprates downtempo trip hop, indie alternative rock, dark atmospheric hints of drum and bass with break beats. Moody melodies, heartbreaking lyrics and sultry female vocals...did i say damn!!! She got me locked. The more I listened the more I was reminded of great bands like The Cardigans or even No Doubt (before Gwen’s Holla Back Girl) Andrea, the musical sounds...I was locked!!!
Aside from Mitch, the rest of the band Undadogg have been playing together since highschool and gig regularly in and around Toronto, Montreal and surrounding cities with performing schedules booked solid with up to three shows per week. the band has recently performed in front of 500 plus people as a part of Toronto Alternative Fashion Week and has been featured live to air on CKLN 88.1FM radio and will be featured this month on our very own PulpRadio’s BabyBlu Show with host Blu Orchid.
Undadogg have released 2 independent discs to date “Ano De Dolor” (1999) and “Jinx” (2006).
As soon as their set was done it was like some one snapped their finger and woke my ass up. I looked around el Mocambo and saw the lead singer at the bar ordering a water. We talked for a bit and the rest is history...

So without further a due Pul[pMag is proud to present Andrea Lucarelli from the band Undadogg...

visit www.pulpmag.com- hearing aid section to read full interview...

- Pulp Magazine