Ferocious Dog
Ten Year Anniversary (Double Album) – Graphite Records
Is it really a decade since Ferocious Dog hit the music public with their stunning debut album? Since then the band have gone from strength to strength becoming one of the UK’s most loved folk rock acts. This double package sees a re-mastered first outing joined by a live orchestral set recorded in Leeds.
Re-working an old record can be a bit of a gamble. Do too much and it’ll lose its soul, do too little and no one will be able to tell the difference. This happily strikes the perfect balance with the vibe of the original holding firm. You still get the warmth the band emit but now there’s more clarity between the instruments. There’s been something of a revolution going on in sound recording and mixing and Ferocious Dog have made full use of the progress here. Most strikingly it’s Ken Bonsall’s vocals that have benefitted the most. His voice is beautifully crisp from start to finish. As a six piece you’ll always get a little blending in pitch and tone but now it’s kept minimal. Whether a listener in your car or on a high end home system this will still be well worth buying even if you have the original.
Not content with a simple re-release the band have added a quite stunning second collection of songs to mark their ten years as a recording act. It’s an interesting choice to go for an orchestral live set but it’s a wise one. Now you can hear fresh arrangements of old favourites. You also get a great sense of why many people liken classical music to rock. Ferocious Dog provide a kind of Link between the two which is easy to follow. Obviously the fiddle takes the main role in this joining but the other instruments play their part fully too. A ‘from the desk’ style of recording means everything is crystal clear including the vocals and instrument separation. This would stand well alone, coupled with the re-mastered debut it’s a great package for old fans and new.
Review by Gary Trueman