Dogs - ‘Dirty Little Shop’

Dogs' last single, ‘This Stone Is A Bullet’ seemed to confirm the London five-piece as being in rock’s second or third tier, having to sit and watch as the likes of The Enemy swaggered by and cornered the market in sharp, good time lads rock. Luckily, ’Dirty Little Shop’ is a step up from the lumpen mess of ‘Bullet’, boasting a stomping chorus that puts the distinctive rasp of Johnny Cooke to good use. Cooke’s voice remains the band’s strongest assist, being an intimidating growl. However the overall noise created still sounds far too much like a pub band doing the Jam and the band’s obvious inspirations serve as an albatross, only reminding the listener that this has all been done before and far better.

B-side ‘Trouble With Honesty’ also deserves a mention for being above the usual product that serves as a flip side, mixing some cynical lyrics with a hurtling guitar sound that infuses the track with some real urgency. Still, while not a bad effort Dogs remain too derivative to create genuine excitement.      

Released 28/05/07 on Weekender Records