The Blue Dogs have been playing together for ten years plus, and on
Halos and Good Buys, it shows. Lead vocalist Bobby Houck and guitarist Hank Futch have concocted a fine batch of songs, and guitarist
David Stewart, drummer
Greg Walker, and mandolinist Daren Shumaker have given them a nice country-rock makeover. The opener, "What's Wrong With Love Songs," and the follow-up, "Wrong Love at the Right Time," would've been called Southern rock at one time, but now fall under the no depression banner. Whatever one calls it, the Blue Dogs have a definite Southern flavor, with twangy vocals and guitar work that echo bands from
the Outlaws to
Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band, while wearing a number of influences on their sleeves, never sound derivative. "Janie and Me" has a gentle quality, highlighted by acoustic guitar, a warm vocal, and some nice vocal accompaniment, while "Half of My Mistakes" has a thoughtful, self-reflective lyric. An underlying theme of the choices people make -- especially when it comes to love -- runs through
Halos and Good Buys, but even at their most thoughtful, the Blue Dogs never forget the importance of a catchy chorus and the bite of an electric guitar. The no depression crowd will appreciate
Halos and Good Buys, but so will fans of classic rock. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.