Album Review: Track Dogs – Fire on the Rails
Track Dogs are a band that span the globe both in origin and in musical influence. Sounding like the classic ‘walk into a bar’ joke told through the ages; two Irishmen, and Englishman and an American walked into a bar and formed a band. But maybe without the bar part. The result is this Madrid-based collective of musicians from around the world who have each brought their own influence and flow to the table to produce some of the most addictive folk melodies of the decade.
Following in the footsteps of their own name, derived from the crews working on the New York subway systems back in the day, their latest album is Fire on the Rails. It is an album that burns hot with not only passion but talent as the group take the world apart piece by piece and then reconstruct it in their own image. After just shy of a decade together the band have channelled their talents and forged themselves a new brand of folk that infuses influences from all across the globe, hailing back to the Celtic roots of Irish folk, blending it with the more rigid traditional focus of English folk and capping it off with a vibrant Americana and country vibe that could have been filtered straight out of Nashville. The thing is that they don’t just stop there, they take inspiration from the world at large and there is a heavy Latin influence that runs within their work that they have likely drawn from their current local surroundings.
This Latin inspired fusion is what gives them the edge as their daring folk medleys are peppered with brazen brass that puts a swing in your step. Fire on the Rails is an album that makes you feel almost like a dog chasing its own tail – you keep following their every movement and yet you can never quite hold on to what they are going to do next. The group a boundless bundle of energy but they also have a tender side that lets them put on the brakes and slow the train for a spell. Ultimately that’s what this album is, a hurtling train that takes you to destinations unknown. It’s a jovial, jubilant and frankly decadent journey that lets you place your complete faith in your conductors. The upbeat melodies that Track Dogs bring to life in this album is a fresh and beautiful take on the world and no matter the dark underbelly they may sing of their songs are unarguably breath-taking.
A wholesome and electrifying act, Track Dogs change the face of music with their vibrant and invigorating songs to produce an album that is the best way to start 2020. With a smile on your face and spring in your step, and this is the only band that’s going to start you off right.
Track Dogs · February 2020 UK Tour
Fri 14 Bath Chapel Arts Centre
Sat 15 Newbury ACE Space
Wed 19 Manchester Veterans Garage
Thu 20 Milton Keynes The Stables (Stage 2)
Fri 21 Uckfield Uckfield Civic Centre
Sat 22 Portsmouth The Square Tower
Sun 23 Kingskerswell, South Devon Kingskerswell Parish Church
Wed 26 East Farleigh, nr. Maidstone The Old School Hall
Thu 27 Swanton Novers, Norfolk Swanton Novers Village Hall
Fri 28 Spalding, Lincs. South Holland Centre
Sat 29 Hepworth, West Yorkshire Hepworth Village Hall
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Review by Joe Knipe
