Review by Tony Gaskin

“Little Deaths” is an enigmatic title for an album that hints at the dark times this band has been through, but also the hope and optimism that sneaks in as the album progresses. This much anticipated album has been a real triumph over adversity for Gundogs, with personal tragedy and band mishaps all contributing to the delay in getting this record completed.

First of all you get a real sense of what this band is all about with its superb packaging and artwork, hinting at what lies within, and boy, hold onto your hat as you open this Pandoras box of musical mayhem.

Opening track “Breakdown” sets the stylistic tone for this album, with influences ranging from the dark post-punk days of the early 80’s to the discord of the Grunge era, but Gundogs manages to meld these influences really well, with the twin pronged vocal assault of Maria and Leila adding, at times, ethereal harmonies to the mix as in “Feign”, then at others ripping your senses apart with an almost visceral ferocity that belies their femininity. Underpinning all this is the powerhouse of drum and bass that sees Alex(drums) and Dan Raven(bass) drive a rhythm stake right through the heart of this album.

What this album has in shed loads though, is track after track of well written songs that will go down well on any radio station, especially, I feel, across the pond. This band simply oozes sex appeal, glamour and just that little hint of danger that the USA seem to love and is perhaps what’s missing from the current British music scene.

Stand out track for me? Damn that really is a hard one with this album, but one track I think epitomises everything this band is and more, and that’s Get Up (The Fire & The Flood).

9/10

www.myspace.com/gundogs

ADDENDUM TO REVIEW

I was just about to post this review to the site when I had word from the bands management that such is the interest being generated by this album and the amount of radio stations putting the album into their play lists, especially in the USA, that they have made the decision to make the album available as a digital download! It’s available on iTunes now, and from all the other usual download sites on Monday 14^th.

^{Thank you, TG}