Review Summary: So the crime we find is just human behavior...
If there’s a phrase that could be used to describe Dogman, it would be ‘stripped down.’ Despite the eccentric album title and a collector’s run of differently colored covers that just screams mid-nineties, the album sees King’s X at their most grounded. The recruitment of producer Brendan O’Brien results in their heaviest sound yet with the songwriting primarily focused on riffs and melodies that are as blunt as the predominately one or two-word song titles. The decision was even made for bassist/vocalist Dug Pinnick to carry the weight of lead singer duties so listeners wouldn’t get thrown off by their usual changeups during and between songs.
Such a premise would make it seem like King’s X watered themselves down, but the results end up putting their strongest assets to the forefront. A more riff-oriented approach not only allows the band to endear themselves even more to grunge and metal fans but also gives their funk influences even more time to shine as songs like “Black the Sky” and “Don’t Care” are driven by loose but weighted grooves. The vocals also greatly benefit from this arrangement as Pinnick puts in one of the most passionate performances of his career and songs like “Shoes” and “Pretend” still get ample opportunities for different layers and backing harmonies.
In an ironic twist, a simpler songwriting method also results in one of the most varied King’s X albums to date. “Fool You” mixes a desert-friendly groove with a sweeping chorus detailing lost friendships, “Complain” goes into borderline punk with its driving riff and rapid-fire vocals, and “Human Behavior” and “Pillow” almost dip into doom metal with their bottom-heavy chugs. Tracks like “Flies and Blue Skies” and “Sunshine Rain” offer an outwardly somber outlook to their balladry not commonly seen on past albums, culminating in the heartbreaking climax of “Cigarettes.”
Of course, I do still find myself with a few minor nitpicks. A lot of the songs on here tend to just burst in their verses without any sort of introduction, making for a downright abrasive experience by King’s X standards. It’s not necessarily a bad thing as the more attitude-driven numbers like the title track, “Complain,” and “Human Behavior” benefit from a straightforward bashing and I like the acapella intro of “Shoes,” but something like “Fool You” ends up feeling rushed without a chance to breathe in the beginning. I suppose there’s also the matter of “Go to Hell” and the “Manic Depression” cover being a little superfluous, but the former is only a minute long and the latter is a very strong rendition, so I don’t mind them being there.
Overall, Dogman is an incredibly strong effort that has more than earned its reputation as what may be the most definitive King’s X album. It’s a rather strange listen in the context of the band’s greater discography despite being their most accessible presentation; I must admit that it was quite jarring to hear Tabor sing on their other albums after getting so used to hearing Dug here and the straightforward production makes for a more dramatic contrast to their glossier early works than one would initially expect. However, the band’s chemistry might be at its peak here and the songs rarely hit so consistently hard as they do here. Gretchen may be the most “artistically” successful album but if you had to recommend a single King’s X full-length to somebody, I’d go with Dogman every time.
