indy cd & vinyl

MOONDOGGIES - DON’T BE A STRANGER

The debut album by Seattle 5-piece The Moondoggies calls up echoes of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Band, and current hot-shots Band Of Horses, as the group takes their seats in the church of country-rock riffs and harmonizing. More so than the aforementioned groups, however, a strong element of the blues is present in their songwriting and playing, and the “churchiness” of their 3- and 4-part harmonies cannot be denied. The Moondoggies can rock one minute and be very mellow the next, throw out 50s riffs in one song (“Ol’ Blackbird”), honky-tonk piano in another (“Night And Day”), and straightforward gospel (just singing, piano, and hand-claps) in another (“Jesus On The Mainline”), with the group sounding completely in their element regardless of the approach. Certainly the beauty of their vocalizing is the key element in the Moondoggies beautiful sound, but chief songwriter Kevin Murphy’s guitar work and Caleb Quick’s keyboards also showcase chops and variety throughout the album. The group has that all too rare “lived-in” sound, somewhat ragged but always right on the beat, perhaps stemming from their longtime bonds as high-school buddies. Regardless of the reasons, Don’t Be A Stranger is a fantastic album for alt-country/country-rock lovers, as every song showcases their talents (no filler is present) and every harmony conveys the spirit of an intensely enjoyable campfire singalong, one with both depth and a carefree spirit. Very enjoyable, indeed.