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Lappdog is without a doubt one of my favorite bands in the Tennessee/Kentucky area. The four-man band from Jackson, Tennessee - vocalist/guitarist Cris Brown, guitarist Brian Kirk (the recent addition at second guitarist), bassist Jereme Hubble and drummer Kevin Scott - recently released an EP entitled The Year Of the Dog. Seven songs are featured on the release, with each track being a masterpiece in and of itself. (Editor’s note: Kirk joined the line-up after the CD was released. He doesn’t appear on the record). From the first track "Bloodsugar" to the cover of Prince’s "When Doves Cry" to the acoustical track "Rainmaker", this CD is among the best local releases to come around in awhile. Cris' impressive vocal range is featured prominently throughout the record, as well as his playing ability. I can’t say enough about this man’s musical talents. He simply knows how to rock out. Hubble supplies some of the most understated bass lines around, and his playing matches very well with Scott to form a solid foundation for the music. Diverse is a good word to use when describing this album. It has everything from the heavy guitar riffs on "Bloodsugar" and "Flybye" to the ballad "Worthless (Dead and Breathing)", to passionate lyrics on all the songs. "Flybye", by the way, has earned the band slots in regular rotation on several Memphis/Jackson area radio stations. That’s a feat that most local bands can only dream about. This CD makes it hard for me to pick a favorite track off of it. While the final mix may not be the best (there are some points where I think it could have been done better), the song-writing skills that are displayed on this record have major-label written all over it. Everyone join in and put your middle fingers in the air, then repeat after me: FUCK YOU LAPPDOG!!! The Year of the Dog is a masterpiece among local releases.
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