Snowdogs – Deep Cuts, Fast Remedies

Here in my hand I have my first new CD of the new year (2003), and believe me, it is giving me a lot of expectations for the upcoming year in punk music. Snowdogs have made an album here with very few disappointments. From the opening song (Average Kid) to the last (Your Sorry Ass) there are close to not let downs.

Opening with the aforementioned song, Average Kid, the band shows us what to expect for the rest of the album. Hard, quick and catchy vocals, with great drum beats, guitar and bass riffs, and great lyrical content. It opens with a great drum beat, then introducing the guitar and bass, soon you here the vocals of Ville Leppanen singing about an regular guy, who tries to make it, but cant just because he’s average. It is one of the many standout tracks on the album, and an amazing way to open it.

Drive then comes blasting out of your speakers, the longest song on the album, and the single, is slower then the first song, but still done quite well. It shows the different potentials this band has for a sound. It gives you a good feeling for the band, with catchy lyrics and a whole lot of bass. I like the song, but is nothing compared to track 3, Popstars (Love This!) which is my favorite song on the entire album. This is a slightly faster paced song, with incredible lyrics. It is all about someone trying out for a band, making it, getting a great sponsor, becoming really popular, but then soon losing it all. This is definitely the best song on the CD, so if you get a chance, make sure to listen to it.

My second favorite is Amazon which is found on track 10 of Deep Cuts, Fast Remedies. This one starts off very soft and slow, with mellow vocals and a beat, intill they get into the verses. It displays a large amount of talent that this band has, being able to change speeds with such skill and effectiveness. The song sings about working hard all day long, and then just getting away for rest and relation in the beautiful Amazon forest. It has a catchy chorus, and is just an incredible song. My third favorite resides in the 6th spot, and it is the only song not written by the dogs, but instead written by Paul Simon. It is called, Boy In The Bubble. The verses are very different then anything else on the album, the vocals have a very unique feel, the best way to describe it is rusty. But as soon as you hear the chorus, you are just blown away.

Other songs which deserve a mention are those situated on track 9, 11 and 12. Hell Outta Dodge, Lotta Lost Time and Your Sorry Ass. All three songs are incredible. The first of the three starts off slow then picks up the pace, with great vocals about a relationship (the King is even mentioned). The second is slightly slower and just wonderfully done. The last of the three ends the album perfectly. This one is a fast paced song with hard vocals, about having a crappy job with a horrible boss, but still having to keep the customers happy. Working there everyday intill the day you die, and they “kiss your sorry ass goodbye”. I really like this song and it is a spectacular way to end the album.

The only really disappointing song is Freedom For Everyone. It is a really slow song and very soft vocals which you have trouble hearing at times (and my hearing isn’t bad).  Although the song does have great meaning within their lyrics (letting everyone be free), I think they could’ve done a whole lot better on this song. Million Pieces comes afterwards, it is a lot better then Freedom For Everyone, but I still do not like it much. It gets very annoying after a while.