Review Summary: Kerbdog- 90's irish guitar heroes who never quite made it.
Kerbdog were an irish three piece hailing from Kilkenny that made waves on the irish shores but not much more than a few ripples abroad. They had more in common with Therapy than darlings U2. Their sound was heavy yet poppy enough to make day time radio, not quiet grunge nor pop punk they had enough of an identity to stand out. Sadly they were dropped by their record company their bass player left and they formed Wilt which really was pop punk an attempt at embracing commercial success, that too failed to catch on... so you may mind yourself asking what's the point of On the Turn.... From one failed band to another with one album remembered by small pockets of people....
SALLY: rating 5
Well first song Sally should clear up things,
"if I had a clue" then lead singer Cormac Battles guitar kicks in, it moves from heavy to light in a similar way as Faster did by Manic Street Preachers, but the guitars are less angular. Its these slight touches and layers vocal melodies that make it interesting and catchy. Kerbdog can do melodies without sounding toothless. Sally recalls poppy noise of new dawn rising with out hitting you over the head with the guitars.
JJ's Song: rating 5
And before you can get a breath JJ's Song bounds in, the guitars more angular and heavy god knows what the song is about but you find yourself singing along
"Go away Sue Go on Sue
Give a milder man his place to
Give a silencer it's grace to
Go ahead "
and just when you think the song has no more to offer they switch gear, with the bass taking over all bouncy and warm, and then we are back to chorus the band playing at break neck speed as if someone was about to rob their amps.
Didn't even try:Rating 3
Quality dips slightly with "Didn't even try" but is saved by most great guitar work from Battle in the last minute.
Mexican Wave:Rating 5
Then again few songs look good when put beside "Mexican Wave"
Somewhat like the Pixies without the guitar craziness, it moves from quiet to loud,
but unlike a lot of bands that rob this trick they do it well. Along with Sally a highlight of the album.
Severed:Rating 4
All you think you have the band pinned down, Severed comes in all. Battle's voice not quite a growl but as could as he get. Imagine Gone by Therapy? placed by the Ramones but slowed down. OK its heavy but attention is still paid to the melodies.
Pledge:Rating 4.5
Pledge starts off similar to Severed, then the wall of noise turns to power chords and crashing cymbals, it then introduces poppish harmonies and see saws between the wall of noise and more poppish elements.
On The Turn:Rating 4
On The Turn is another heavy song stop starts punctuated by cymbals over noisy guitar then the song goes all dreamy, before coming back slightly slower and slowly building up. Battle's voice carries most of the track through.
Secure:Rating 4
Secure: changes the tempo, with the guitar playing low bass chords, then dreamy melody before wall of noise chord, the bass takes up the guitar chords from the first verse, the volume builds, grinding guitars carry the song across the bridge.
Lesser Shelf: Rating 5
Great pop punk melody picks up the album that has dipped slightly, it has more tempo changes and chord changes than the last few tracks. There is a spacey dreamy sonic youth
bridge with layered harmonies which really strengthens the song.
Pointless: Rating 4
Its really the harmonies between Battle and Bass player Colin Fennelly that make this song stand out, some great guitar work as well.
Rewind: Rating 5
Rewind is more in the frame of say Sally and Mexican wave less heavier. Great catchy chorus. "the times keep me wise, gives me rise, cheap disguise."
sorry for the record. rating 5
I loved the fact that they named this song "sorry for the record." The song itself is different to everything that comes before it, a lot slower the longest at over 7 mins.
It ends in feedback that as it fades you can just about hear Cormac Battle sing "Sally" Then bang the whole album kicks off again.
Maybe its hard for me to given unbiased review of this album, its over 10 yrs old, and it is tied to a time in my life as a teenager as it is with these lucky few who discovered it first time round.
Its not the most original album, more the best album ever (its too much fun for that), but its a treasure for those few who discovered it first round or who have yet to discover it.
