Blue Dogs

Released in 1997, this self-titled studio effort marked the first time that a Blue Dogs album contained nothing but original material — before that, all of their releases contained some covers (which wasn't a bad thing because their covers are usually pleasing). Blue Dogs didn't give up covers in 1997; covers were still an important part of their live show. But on this disc, all of the songs were written by lead singer Bobby Houck and/or guitarist Phillip Lammonds, who is listed as a guest musician. Lammonds is among the many people who is part of Blue Dogs' extended family of musicians — he has worked with them extensively even though he isn't an actual full-time member of the band. And his contributions to this John Alagia-produced CD are solid; "Hope She Falls in Love," "I'd Give Anything," and "Simple Complication" are among the twangy roots rock/Southern rock offerings that paint an attractive picture of Lammonds' songwriting abilities. Lammonds and Houck wrote five of the 11 tracks together (including the contemplative "World Turns a Revolution"), and Houck wrote two songs by himself ("Long Gone Goodbye" and "Every Day"). For Blue Dogs, using an extended family of musicians (as opposed to being totally self-contained) on a regular basis is obviously a plus. Bringing in different musicians at different times has helped the band avoid becoming predictable — Blue Dogs aren't innovative, but they aren't predictable either. By CD standards, this self-titled release is skimpy; it clocks in at about 45 minutes. But while Blue Dogs sacrifice quantity, they don't sacrifice quality on this memorable outing.