Sunday, October 4, 2009

Short Dogs Grow - Matt Dillon (1988, Rough Trade)

From my understanding, San Fran’s Short Dogs Grow began life as a pretty tenacious punk act, but by the time they got around to cutting their second album, Matt Dillon, the quartet chilled out considerably. This was my first and only impression of SDG, but one thing is downright irrefutable, even to the most casual set of ears. Mouthpiece and axe-slinger Tom Pitts is dead ringer for Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner. Period. Pitt’s strenuous wail is so evocative of Pirner, that one might mistake Matt Dillon for a set of shelved Twin/Tone-era Asylum outtakes, but the co-ed quartet’s back-to-basics Americana leanings go a long way in differentiating themselves from the aforementioned Minneapolis denizens. Soulful female backing vocals on a few numbers here further imbue the album with a flavor few, if any of their indie contemporaries could lay claim to, but bold, full-tilt riff rockers like “White Toast, No Butter” and the all too brief “Love Story“ are ample evidence of SDG’s sheer firepower. Peruse the band’s Myspace page for more tunes and an informative bio.

01. My House
02. Heart Pumping Bourban
03. Love Story
04. Faith is Evidence
05. Solvent Solution
06. So Many Times
07. Desert Rain
08. Schoolhouse
09. White Toast, No Butter
10. Talk to Me
11. Blue Plate Special

Hear

15 comments:

jeffen said...

They actually played in Winnipeg on the tour for this album and the handbills all played up the Soul Asylum connection.

You wouldn't happen to have the first album? (It's a little more on the Husker Du side).

◍ NO DELI ◍ said...

I'm grateful for this post. Haven't listened to either LP in a long time - and, like 'jeffen' above, I'd be happy to hear SDG's first record again if you've got it.

dish said...

...Short Dogs Grow. Great album. Is there still an interest in the first album? I can digitze it if here is...

◍ NO DELI ◍ said...

Speaking for myself - definitely.

The rip I have now is such a low bitrate it makes for miserable listening.

jeffen said...

Count me among the interested, all I have is a tape made from the vinyl before I sold it.

tom pitts said...

Hey, my name is Tom and Short Dogs was my band. I was just on here looking for a copy of the Matt Dillon album. Mine? Lost. Sad, but true. Nice to see someone out there still has even a passing interest. Thanks.

cody666 said...

Can you please reup this one for me ?

spavid said...

I just updated the link.

Doc Sokal said...

Any chance someone has their demo digitized? I saw these guys in New Orleans with the Descendents and Life Sentence July 4, 1986 and loved em. The demo is my favorite of all, but the hardest to find.

Doc Sokal said...

Any chance someone has their demo digitized? I saw these guys in New Orleans with the Descendents and Life Sentence July 4, 1986 and loved em. The demo is my favorite of all, but the hardest to find.

tom pitts said...

a friend of the band made us all CDs of the original vinyl. He did a great job. I wonder if he has anymore?

tom pitts said...

a friend of the band made us all CDs of the original vinyl. He did a great job. I wonder if he has anymore?

Unknown said...

Any chance of a reup - I love what I have found on youtube, but can't find the album anywhere. Thanks.

spavid said...

The link has been updated.

Unknown said...

Hey y'all, I have their album "Matt Dillon" on vinyl...will post to youtube