Dug Pinnick / Emotional Animal / CD Review

Even without the Poundhound moniker, Dug Pinnick’s new album Emotional Animal has every right to be called Poundhound 3.  Fans of the heavier King’s X material will dig their front man’s latest solo release.  The sludgy bass and super distorted guitars all come together to make a wall of noise that just slams you in the face.  Pinnick has finally released a satisfying solo disc.  With the previous two releases, there were a few gems in the lot, but the production totally killed any enjoyment.  Finally the production has nearly matched the material and you have a perfectly enjoyable album.


The song most likely to get attention from this disc is the foot stomper “Equal Rights.”  Its pro-marijuana stance and Sly Stone sounding sing along make it the perfect track to just sit around and jam on.  The sloppy slide guitar lead gives it a great laid back feel.  “Zepp” is a heavy track that seems to subtly talk about the Pinnick’s main band’s almost success.  The chorus conjures images of Hendrix fronting Poundhound.  It’s almost scary how much Pinnick sounds like him. “What you gonna do?”


The album seems to get better the further in you get.  While there aren’t many duds on the album,  things just seem to kick in with the stuttering “Bite.” “Keep Up” has a vocal melody that’ll be stuck in your head for days.  “Wrong” is an acapella track that at times sounds oddly like a lo-fi Queen. “Freak the Funk Out” is just a weird little instrumental jazz-light track that mixes drum loops and “mouth trumpet.”  The album closes with the short and rocking “Mr. Hateyourself” that insists that “love is alive.”


There’s an emotional rawness to this album that makes you truly feel the artist’s pain.  Even through all the turmoil, Pinnick seems to offer hope.  It’s this hope that makes this album complete.

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