Dogs

Description

The re-issue of Nina Nastasia's 1999 debut, Dogs, is well over due. Engineered by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Pixies), it's simplicity and honesty resound throughout. Nastasia's effortless voice swoons over a bed of laid-back guitars, dreamy upright bass and almost jazz percussion, bringing to mind Suzanne Vega and Rickey Lee Jones. The almost constant use of violins, gives that album a countryish feel, but this is not middle American country, it's contemporary folk, straight out of New York city. Lyrically, Nastasia uses metaphor here there and everywhere. "Judy's in the Sandbox" tells of a wild young woman trying to be calmed by her man, but he fails so "He wipes his brow and steps inside to play within the rules". The almost jarred cello of this track really works to enhance her portrayal of the situation. Accompaniments are put to good use, the slow jig of "A Dog's Life" is given a jolly mischievous bounce-a-long sound, which suits the subject matter: the desire to give it all up and "lie under the couch" and "chew a bone". The claim that this is just another singer/songwriter's, album, with some pretty depressing lyrics, can be thrown at Nastasia and it's true. But this should not detract the listener from the quality of these 15 songs. Things do go astray towards the middle of the album ("Smiley" and "Roadkill") but they do perk up again with "Nobody Knew Her"--a fair attempt at what could have been a Toad the Wet Sprocket track. Wait for a sunny lazy afternoon, sit back and listen, it won't disappoint. --Jamie Clark