It's a known fact that Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers broke in the U.K. first. By the time they smashed the American charts, they already had a vast following of Britons worshipping at their altar, a bizarre combination of classic rockers and New Wavers. If America doesn't wake up soon, they might end being behind in catching the Cat House Dogs (http://www.cathousedogs.com).
Hailing from Ontario, Canada, the Cat House Dogs unite the best of classic and modern rock. They're as indebted to Petty's Byrdsy jangle ("Fine Line," "Never in a Million Years") as they are to the warm, boyish harmonies of the Jayhawks ("Beautiful Rays"). Even the punchy pub rock of Elvis Costello, Marshall Crenshaw, and Graham Parker is given a nod on "Melissa Tuesday." The guitars are crisply ringing throughout, and the solo on "Fine Line" is quite a flame thrower. Singer/guitarist Todd Sharman echoes Petty's Southern discomfort at times but when hits the choruses, or gets irked, he sounds as if he's riding off the rails, and those are the CD's most thrilling moments.
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Canada continues to remain an underrated region for solid rock and roll (as opposed to the quirky indie stuff from Montreal). Hopefully, a group like the Cat House Dogs can finally gain Canada respect for kicking ass.
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