Sometimes you can teach an old dog new tricks. And this old dog still likes to discover new music. But as an old dog, I have been around the block enough times to know that you can’t always trust the marketing campaigns of the major record labels. And this old dog does not have deep pockets, so I can’t afford to buy every indi album that has an interesting cover. That would be barking up the wrong tree most of the time.
Have I run the dog thing into the ground yet?
Anyway, my subscription to eMusic.com is an important way that I can discover new music without spending a ton of cash. Many times I discover a new band that is new and energetic and ready to take off. Sometimes I discover mature acts that somehow I never heard before. And I also enjoy finding historical records that I missed out on. All of which is fun and exciting. But sometimes I discover bands that sound great, but have already broken up and then the discovery is kind of bitter sweet.
This is the case with Dogs Die in Hot Cars, a British band that really caught my ear a few months ago. Not only do they have an incredibly strange name, which has the advantage of being technically true but difficult to use as a noun, but they also sound very much like a reincarnation of XTC, one of the greatest quirky bands from the UK ever to make records. And DDIHC (which is hard to abbreviate also) doesn’t just copy XTC, they manage to echo the best of XTC and still sound very much original.
They, the Dogs (who must have gotten into a hot car despite their own warnings), have an EP, Man Bites Man , and an album, Please Describe Yourself. Both of which are worth starting an eMusic.com subscription for. And according to information I have found on the web, the band broke up while working on their second album. It is a shame to get all excited about a fabulous group, just to find out that they have already disbanded. But I will have to keep my eyes open for the names, Craig Macintosh, Gary Smith, Lee Worrall, Ruth Quigley, and Laurence Davey, cross my fingers and hope these talented Brits will get involved in future recording projects. In the meanwhile I will have to console myself with another listen to “I Love You Cause I Have To.” Because I have to, love them that is. And if you are a Brit Pop fan or an XTC fan (that means you Steve-O) then you should love the Dogs who died in their hot car too.
Have I run the dog thing into the ground yet?
Anyway, my subscription to eMusic.com is an important way that I can discover new music without spending a ton of cash. Many times I discover a new band that is new and energetic and ready to take off. Sometimes I discover mature acts that somehow I never heard before. And I also enjoy finding historical records that I missed out on. All of which is fun and exciting. But sometimes I discover bands that sound great, but have already broken up and then the discovery is kind of bitter sweet.
This is the case with Dogs Die in Hot Cars, a British band that really caught my ear a few months ago. Not only do they have an incredibly strange name, which has the advantage of being technically true but difficult to use as a noun, but they also sound very much like a reincarnation of XTC, one of the greatest quirky bands from the UK ever to make records. And DDIHC (which is hard to abbreviate also) doesn’t just copy XTC, they manage to echo the best of XTC and still sound very much original.
They, the Dogs (who must have gotten into a hot car despite their own warnings), have an EP, Man Bites Man , and an album, Please Describe Yourself. Both of which are worth starting an eMusic.com subscription for. And according to information I have found on the web, the band broke up while working on their second album. It is a shame to get all excited about a fabulous group, just to find out that they have already disbanded. But I will have to keep my eyes open for the names, Craig Macintosh, Gary Smith, Lee Worrall, Ruth Quigley, and Laurence Davey, cross my fingers and hope these talented Brits will get involved in future recording projects. In the meanwhile I will have to console myself with another listen to “I Love You Cause I Have To.” Because I have to, love them that is. And if you are a Brit Pop fan or an XTC fan (that means you Steve-O) then you should love the Dogs who died in their hot car too.
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