that dog – Totally Crushed Out – Review

That Dog

Totally Crushed Out (Geffen)
by Sheril Stanford

Off-kilter. Everything about this band is pleasantly tipped on its side: Odd lyrical phrasing, sweet ‘n’ sour harmonies, melodic guitars that are simultaneously dark and edgy. Billed as a concept album, even the theme is one of opposites, as anyone who has ever had the bittersweet experience of love and loss can attest. Production assistance from Rob Cavallo (Green Day) and mixing by Paul DuGre (Bad Religion) tells you a little bit about the credibility of this band, but not much about its sound. There is something stark and simple about That Dog‘s style, yet it’s also big, noisy and complex. Violinist Petra Haden (sister of bassist Rachel Haden) adds a truly distinctive element. The disc is marked by a certain lyrical innocence, each of the twelve cuts deftly conveying a sense of suburban naïveté and adolescent angst from an earlier time. In fact, the disc reeks of the ’50s, from its pseudo-Andrews Sisters harmonies, to its title, Totally Crushed Out, to its cover art depicting a dreamy teen, seated at her dressing table and staring into an oval mirror, princess phone by her side. “You won’t kiss me,” one song laments, “even though I put on cherry raspberry lip gloss.” Oh, if only it were that easy… That Dog is currently touring Foo Fighters.