All Dogs is, per their press release, a “loud rock band that plays pop songs”. The DIY punk-influenced quartet from Columbus, Ohio released a four-song EP in 2013 and a standalone single called “Georgia” last December. Their debut album “Kicking Every Day” will be out this Friday via the Detroit-based Salinas Records. That label is the home of Swearin (Allison Crutchfield) and P.S. Eliot (Katie and Allison Crutchfield), but not Waxahatchee (Katie Crutchfield). Katie has climbed the indie rock ladder and is now on one of the biggest indies, Merge Records. Although we’re not here to talk about the magnificent Crutchfield twins, it’s easy to bring their names up in a conversation about All Dogs. They share some common RIYL tags, and to some extent, they sound like each other. I know that All Dogs has played at least a couple of shows with Waxahatchee, but I don’t know about their touring history with Swearin’.
I had never heard of All Dogs . “Fuzzed out guitars, unfussy production values…and “Loud guitar, unpolished but affecting vocals… (I)mpressive and intoxicating”, and references to 1990s college radio playlists. It only took a few seconds for me to know that this is right up my alley. From the aforementioned fuzzy guitars, to some tricks in the stereo field, to singer Maryn Jones’ voice that’s somewhat reminiscent of that dog frontwoman Anna Waronker. There’s an occasional hint of growl or vocal fry, but for the most part, Jones comes out cleaner than some similar sounding singers like Alicia Bognanno from Bully or Lyn Heinemann from the band Drawn Ship.
It only took a few seconds to decide that I really really like this.
“That Kind of Girl” by All Dogs
The Fat Angel Sings 