By gathering some of the top talent in the Milwaukee area (plus one Japanese guy) and dubbing them the Xpensive Dogs, musician/producer/engineer Gary Tanin has unleashed 10 challenging songs that defy categorization. Dog Eat Dog is the second album from a collaboration that includes Sam Llanas (BoDeans), Michael Hoffman (E.I.E.I.O.) and Paul Cebar (R&B Cadets). Much like the project's self-titled debut released back in 1996, Dog Eat Dog was recorded in the United States and Japan, with Tanin and Toshiyuki Hiraoka (Virgin Prunes) downloading and uploading music files until the album was complete.
And, oh, what an album! Dog Eat Dog bites down hard with bizarre and off-tempo beats, distant yet groovy vocals, spacey and bubbling synths and programming, and just an all-around freakishness. Taking inspiration from classic Japanese horror film soundtracks, post-industrial psychedelica and specific eras of King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa and the Rolling Stones, Dog Eat Dog emerges as an amazingly cohesive piece of work. It's not the prettiest album you'll hear this month (or probably even today), but it's a strong testament to not only the power of the Internet - which made the whole thing possible - but also to the musicians involved who abandoned their typical styles to participate in the Xpensive Dogs.
Track Listing:
1) Dog Eat Dog
2) Sacrifice
3) Pinocchio
4) Take A Ride
5) Flowers Grow
6) The World Has Gone Insane
7) Where the Kids Are
8) Hell
9) Eye
10) Then You Die
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