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Hound

You Are A Hound II

Written by: BV on 31/05/2013 16:51:48

For fans of Danish stoner-rock Christian Hede Madsen should be a household name due to his frontman status in the notoriously rocking Pet the Preacher. However, there is a bluesy, more melancholic side to the songwriting pallet from which many a cool riff has come from. Naturally, I’m talking about Christian Hede Madsen’s little-known solo-project called Hound. Hound serves as the creative outlet for Hede Madsen’s improvisational blues jams and songs that don’t seem to fit the general vibe of Pet the Preacher. At this very moment there is not one, but two releases under the name of Hound – “Spirits Are Appearing” and “You Are A Hound II”. The latter is what this review will be about.

Album opener “200 Words” is a melancholic blues that instantly conjures up images of a drifter sitting by the roadside playing his blues and telling the world about the miseries he has seen. The down-tuned slide guitar paired with Christian Hede Madsen’s distinct vocal work serves as a delicious appetizer to a far too short album that, in spite of its short runtime, conjures up quite a few ear-hangers.

With “Others In The Night” the simplistic drumming and the infectious guitar riff takes the listener to a small journey through a deserted highway where all is lost, but not forgotten. With lyrical gems like “Yes, she’s broke but in one piece / oh she’s aching, ain’t dying / yeah she's broke but in one piece / when she sees others in the night” I can’t help but be smitten by the bluesy soundscapes and the excruciatingly delicious slide-guitar solo isn’t really hurting that impression either.

To be fair though, some of the songs do bear the mark of the “improvisational side-project” as they if anything, seem incomplete as if something vital is missing. Even so, there are still hints of good ideas that can easily be developed into fully fledged songs that can live up to the potential put forth. An example of such a track can be heard on “Behind You”, where the melancholic vocal and the minimalistic approach to the guitar playing never really leaves the same powerful impression as tracks like “200 Words”.

Nonetheless it is an interesting peek into the other part of Christian Hede Madsen’s songwriting and serves quite well as a break from Pet the Preacher where things get rowdy like your life depended on it. More tracks from Hound, please.

Download: 200 Words, Others In The Night, Travel Light
For The Fans Of: Pet the Preacher, Jack White, Lost Souls Carnival
Listen: bandcamp.com

Release Date 06.04.2013
Self-released