Music is like language, it comes with an accent. No matter how much we move into alt- this and post- that territory, no matter how much music invents new labels, new genres, new identities for itself, some things are unmistakeable. The language of music is the groove, and the wonderfully named Dr. C & The Gris Gris have an unmistakable southern groove and they have it in spades.
Graveyard Dog is a slightly grunge infused, mid paced alt-rock, it is sultry rather than ferocious, swaggers along with a cool stride rather than rushes to get the job done and is filled with musical motifs and sonic signatures that places them way south of the Mason-Dixon line. Although I guess the drummer wearing a state map of Louisiana on his shirt may have helped me too.
That said, there is nothing parochial going on here, this is universal music, music which takes in all that is good, solid, cool and weighty about rock music. It takes its time, revels in groove over gimmick and the result is a awesome slice of powerful, purposeful and slightly predatory, prowling rock. It tips its cap to the best, from Audioslave to The Black Keys and from classic rock to its modern alt-offsprings and if this is the band taking things easy, I can’t wait to experience them fully fired up.
