Salutations™!!

I think I pleased Eugene with the last entry. The thing is he doesn’t comment much when I do like something. He indeed comments when I don’t. Jon doesn’t say a whole lot. He’s still sitting at #19. He may finish this time next year. We’ll see. Okay, let’s hit it. 

#48 – Wild Dogs by The Rods.

I have no clue who the Rods are. I have never heard of them, have never heard a single song (unless it’s been slipped in on me and me not know it). And, let me be clear up front, here. I think this is a fine album. I would say that I like it. Let’s leave that right there. Now, let me say some stuff about what’s going on here.

There’s not a wealth of info on the internet (Wikipedia is barren and the link to their website dies in transit) about them. The guitarist and co-vocalist David Feinstein (known to his pals as “Rock”) is the cousin of Ronnie James Dio. Okay. He played in the band Elf with his cousin. Okay. He’s a good riffing guitarist and I can’t tell who is singing what so I’m going to say he’s a good singer. He’s not overly flashy but just enough to make me say, “well, alright!”

The drummer Carl Canedy (also listed as vocals) is probably the flashiest of the musicians. The drums are more than solid, they are heavy and artful. The runs and fills are pretty impressive. Again, I don’t know who is singing what, so let’s say he’s good?

I believe this is the first album that had Garry Bordonaro as bass player with the band. I can hear some good riffing in there. There are runs and passages that are pretty good. He, too, is listed as “vocals.” I don’t know what that means, exactly, so I’m going to say he’s good?

As for the songs, there are a few that I really liked and a few that I didn’t. I am conflicted with the opening track. The song itself isn’t bad but I hate their use of the phrase “I’m too hot to trot.” I don’t know why that irks me but it does. I actually have used the phrase in conversation but its use in this song just bothers me. The rest of that song isn’t bad.

The pedophilia aspect of “Violation” is weird, but I can’t knock it too much because there were two songs from KISS that talked about the same thing and I loved both of those songs. The rest of the song lyrically is a violation. And it’s cheese. I’d say this is the song I don’t like the most. And, while I’m at it, I don’t like “The Night Lives To Rock,” the last song on the album, lyrically, because they say they’re gonna rock their arses off for me. That’s dumb. It’s very “Rock and Roll All Nite”-ish. Don’t force anthems, that’s anti-anthemic, I think.

I don’t care for the lead vox in the cover of “Keep Me Hangin’ On” but I do love the backing vox. It’s weird. Overall, that song’s pretty good.

Now, I do like “Burned By Love.” I love the harmonies in that. I like the title track. I like the guitar riffs in that. Also, there’s room for Canedy to show off his double kick work. After complaining about the lyrics of “The Night Lives To Rock” I’m contradicting myself by saying I do like the song “Rockin’ ‘N’ Rollin’ Again.”

My favorite tune on the album is “End of the Line.” The lead and backing vox are really good. “No Sweet Talk, Honey” is pretty rocking and good, too. So, I’d say it’s right down the middle, hit or miss. My faults are probably minor infractions in the grand scheme of the album.

Now, let’s revisit my initial statements on it: I think this is a fine album. I would say that I like it. However, my question is to Eugene. This isn’t a knock on the album, but why did this particular album make the Top 50? I feel that while it’s good, it’s a bit of a stretch. Even the ones in the past that I haven’t liked have been more obvious as to why you picked it. I don’t find a lot of memorable material on this. Until I just forced myself to pay attention, the best it could get was background filler. Again, I think it’s good, just I won’t ever seek it out and don’t care if I don’t hear it again. I know you’re several (okay ~20) behind and I should wait until you catch up with the review. I just think there could have been better albums for this spot. Again, this is your list and I don’t mean to question, just, I don’t know, it was kind of flat. NOT bad… flat. But, it’s still something I wouldn’t have heard and I appreciate the introduction.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

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“What are you going to do when I finally walk away? How are you going to feel when I’m gone? What are you going to do when I finally turn away? How are you going to feel when I’m gone? It’s the end of the line.” – “End of the Line” (The Rods)