Chris DeLine

Capturing buzz amongst the ever evolving Toronto rock scene has become seemingly effortless in recent time, akin to the early 90’s and Seattle based groups. However, in both situations, the value wasn’t behind capturing notice, it was maintaining the value behind the acclaim. After being casually clumped in with other Canadian bands of the time, ranging from Sloan to Broken Social Scene, The Golden Dogs have maintained their end of the deal; supporting the band’s buzz with intelligent lyrics and its catchy, offbeat music. Everything in 3 Parts is an animated journey through depression, paranoia and learning to confront life’s difficulties; ultimately coming out confused, but ahead of the curve. With its fluttering guitar introduction, “Birdsong” flows a theme of self realization into the following track, “Faster.” Coming to terms with yourself, and understanding that no one will never see you for who are is hard to put in such an innocent context, but done so beautifully; “Let it go, let it go. They’re not gonna stop ’til they make sure you see it their way.” The confusion finds continuation, of a different sort in the infectious, recoiling love song, “Can’t Get Your Face Out Of My Head.” The mocking paranoia of “Don’t Make A Sound” and emotional bottoming out of “I Don’t Sleep” follow the album further into a punch-drunk state; only to be resurrected by the cabana-rock “Elevator Man.” Finding oneself in a dead end, go no-where, situation in life (the elevator man) doesn’t have to be all that bad…because after all, there’s beyond your job, right? “Yeah!” introduced me to the Dogs, but it’s the song’s lyrics that truly inspire. Giving everything you have to your music, your poetry, your paintings, whatever your outlet may be, and using it as your one voice to try and distinguish you from the mob is an empowering, though often disheartening thing. “Throwing my whole life on tape, with everything I want to say, listen up, my epitaph is screaming out, Yeah!” Hopefully the band has achieved such a level of recognition showing feedback enough to empower the song’s question. “Big Boy’s” apocalyptic countdown to “the greatest show on earth” leaves me wondering what might happen when the big boy does comes down to hit us up with some knowledge. Success is a rare thing, but when The Golden Dogs were given the opportunity with Everything In 3 Parts, the band proved that they were not only worthy of the acclaim, but deserving of more.

[This post was first published by Culture Bully.]