Collected Sounds

Album Name: The Only Thing That Matters
Artist: Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs
Year/Label: 2009 / Independent

[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs play a country-tinged rock that’s very well done.

Opener Sleep My Darling has a nice Cowboy Junkies-like tint to it and a great lead vocal.

Where I Come From surges with longing and has a lovely melody. Star Anna’s voice is supple and has a suitable cadence for this song.

Burn is up-tempo and has a strong tune; the band’s interplay is well done here. The vocal is strong and with a lot of presence.

Running Man is a cool song, a lengthy dirge with less of country influence than the other ones. The vocal is very expressive and taut.

Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs have made a very good record.

Track Listing
1 Sleep My Darling
2 Through the Winter
3 Hawks on a Pole
4 Where I Come From
5 Spinning My Wheels
6 Burn
7 For Now
8 Restless Water
9 Lonely Ride Home
10 All Her Ghosts
11 Running Man
12 Tripping Wire

[Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs Official Site]

It’s the radio edit, so it’s fairly clean.

Here’s the naughtier version

I’ve been kinda bombarding you guys today haven’t I?
Much news and discoveries I guess!!

I’m quite excited for this record!

I haven’t had a lot of time to learn about this site yet, but it looks to be sort of an iTunes for female indies. But there’s also a place where they have guest bloggers. But they don’t just blog about music. I’m kinda confused. Maybe I’ll sign up and see if I can learn more that way.

What do you think?

[Twolia]

Back in 2006 I reviewed a record that consisted of Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet, calling themselves Sid and Susie and performing covers of great old ’60s songs. It was called [Under the Covers] and I loved it.

So I’m happy to announce that they’ve be teamed up once again to revisit, this time, the ’70s!

From Billboard’s site:

The album will be released July 21 by Shout Factory. That day, Hoffs and Sweet will take part in an onstage interview, audience Q&A and acoustic performance before an intimate audience of 200 at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. September tour dates are already booked in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago with more to follow.

Pre order:

[Read the Story on Billboard]

Here’s the tracklist:
1. Sugar Magnolia
2. Go All The Way
3. Second Hand News
4. Bell Bottom Blues
5. All The Young Dudes
6. You’re So Vain
7. Here Comes My Girl
8. I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People
9. Hello It’s Me
10. Willin’
11. Back Of A Car
12. Couldn’t I Just Tell You
13. Gimme Some Truth
14. Maggie May
15. Everything I Own
16. Beware Of Darkness

and if you don’t have the first one, [Get it here]

Once it’s available on other outlets I’ll post those links too.