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Chris Shepard & Sierra Dog Romeo: Sin & Tonic
Listening
to Chris Shepard and his band Sierra Dog Romeos new release Sin and
Tonic I cant help but picture coolers perched on tailgates, sweaty beer
cans grasped in hands, and a throng of people, eyes shaded against the harsh
sunlight, rocking their bodies to the sounds emitting from four large speakers
set up haphazardly on an outdoor stage. Chris
Shepards guitar rock, because it can simply be described as guitar
rock, sounds like quintessential, American music. The kind of music you would expect to hear in a small town
like Roanoke, VA or a small town in any other state. Shepard is definitely a great guitarist, and that is the most
important thing to know about this release it has great guitar, the kind of
balls-out power chords so many males (and females) are craving nowadays.
Unfortunately, the lyrics leave a little to be desired.
The majority of Shepards songs are the angsty howlings of man slighted
by woman. Songs like Private
Hell and F__d comprise the angry end of the spectrum while
Elecrtrosexual and How Id Love to Love You round out the
woman-as-devil picture. The early-90s term grunge is definitely applicable
here. Shepards voice is dirty
with pain, resentment and longing. Coupled
with his lyrics, his songs leave a frustrated and bitter taste in your ears.
Lightening up the majority of the album are songs like Mean People
Suck. Shepards big hit, this
song has seen lots of airplay in Roanoke, as well as in other areas around the
country. Filled with lighthearted
but clever lyrics, Mean People Suck parodies the hippie causes Shepard is
all too familiar with: We've
got an open-minded, bongo
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