Dogface: Back On The Streets

I have to be honest and admit that the pairing of singer Mats Leven and guitarist Martin Kronlund back in the early 2000s completely passed me by, the duo releasing the Dogface debut Unleashed in 2000, following that up with Control two years later. Since then both Leven and Kronlund have seen extensive action in projects and bands too numerous to run through here, but rest assured these two are amongst the most sought after contributors in Hard Rock and have been for many a year.

So what are Dogface all about? Well in short, imagine Dio, the band, smashing into Coverdale-Hughes era Purple (without the funk), via a smidge of Martin led Sabbath (a good thing, I may add) and you'll get the idea. Leven is a singer of great renown and he illustrates why time and again on Dogface release number three, Back On The Streets, his range and power beyond question. This is a singer with the roar and precision to rival the best around and he doesn't leave any of that on the shelf. Kronlund on the other hand is a songwriter and guitarist who seldom misses the mark, whether operating in more melodic surrounds, or the pouting preening style employed by Dogface. So bring all that together and it should guarantee an album beyond question, but not quite. There's an element of comfort zone about a lot of what is presented and while if you crank it all up to killer volume levels the results do draw you in, little really makes the impact to raise it above the norm.

Not that Back On The Streets is bad, "Footsteps On The Moon" surges with energy, "The Fall" mid-paced splendour, while "Get Up" adds more emotion; benefiting because of it. However with only ten tracks on show the 60s tinged psychedelic Hard Rock of "Freaking Out" is throwaway stuff and a cover of The Osmands "Crazy Horses", fun, if completely non-essential. That said there are more hits than misses here and the back up band are superb, keyboard player Dan Helgesson leaving an extremely strong and impressive impression across the whole album, while David Reece (Accept, Bangalore Choir) offers classy backing vocals.

Pop Back On The Streets in the player and let it rip and there's no doubt that the Classic Rocker in you will thoroughly approve, however there just isn't quite enough here to make it essential listening. Although it does make for a good and convincing diversion while it lasts.

Track Listing
1. Footsteps On The Moon
2. Can't Face Tomorrow
3. Higher
4. The Fall
5. Back On The Streets
6. Fired
7. Get Up
8. Start A Fire
9. Crazy Horses
10. Freaking Out

Added: November 20th 2013
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Dogface Online
Hits: 2505
Language: english

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