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Dog Fashion
Disco: Committed to a Bright Future
Committed to a Bright Future is a crazy musical concoction that happens to be one of the most original albums that Ive heard in a while. Stylistically, the music is metal mixed with a bit of ska, a bit of jazz, and a whole lot of unusual keyboards. You might call Dog Fashion Disco circus metal. Do I hear a Mr. Bungle influence here? Absolutely. If I had to guess, I would say that these guys idolize the great Bungle, although Dog Fashion Disco is certainly creative enough to avoid sounding derivative. Dont make any mistake though: beyond their craziness, the guys in Dog Fashion Disco are very capable musicians and the songwriting on Committed to a Bright Future is strong. Love Song for a Witch and Dr. Piranha are the standout tracks here. Both are heavy, energetic, quirky-as-can-be rockers with great guitar riffs, spiffy keyboard work, and awesome vocal hooks courtesy of vocalist Todd Smith. Other good tracks include Rapist Eyes with more excellent vocal delivery from Smith and a very pretty piano outro, and Magical Band of Fools an infectiously silly album closer that employs a jazzy horn section. The hilarious lyrics on Committed to a Bright Future range from goofy to morbid (though usually some of both). Weve got straightforward songs such as The Acid Memoirs, where, to a bouncy rhythm and a harpsichord melody, Todd Smith sings about his first acid experiences as a teenager. Smiths urgent and dramatic delivery fits well and adds to the comic intensity (Im watching the TV / My dogs talking to me / Hes telling me Im going insane). Midway through, the song is invaded by midget-chipmunk clown-devils doing frenzied and indecipherable backup vocals. Pogo the Clown is a song about a serial killer clown, done in the style of swing/lounge jazz. Then we get songs such as Rapist Eyes and Dr. Piranha which are lyrically more enigmatic, but just as funny. From the former: A cross between Satan and a Gucci witch / Your disposition could make Hitler flinch. Overall, Committed to a Bright Future is a delightfully demented album that is full of bright ideas. It should blow you away if you like your music a bit on the heavy side and a lot on the crazy side. There are loads of manic energy and insanity here, and fortunately, the album usually remains focused without a lack of hooks. And, of course, the lyrics are intelligent and damn funny. This is the kind of music that makes most people say, What the hell? which, I think, was Dog Fashion Discos plan all along.
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