Dog Society Emerge after Nearly 20 Years

Album Review by Danny Coleman

Emerge, the 2012 project from veteran rockers Dog Society, is aptly titled, as they attempt to reenter rock’s mainstream after nearly 20 years away.

With the original lineup of vocalist Brian Schnaak, guitarist Bruce Erik Brauer, bassist Rich Guerzon and drummer Joe Ranieri, with contributions from guitarist Glen Sherman, all currently back in the fold and on the same page, the band seems primed to make some noise once again.

Emerge combines the various influences of each individual member in a very Beatlesque manner. Full of harmonies and psychedelic riffs reminiscent of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the group applies their own unmistakable style, making for a very nice combination throughout this 12-song collection.

“Being Here,” the opening track, is a great mix of acoustic and electric sounds with the aforementioned harmonies riding behind Schnaak’s at-times-haunting vocal lines. Definitely a powerful opening cut which sets the tone for the rest of the disc. “A Good Friend” combines a neat jazzy feel with a rocking midsection which explodes seemingly out of nowhere and totally changes the tune’s direction before abruptly coming back full circle to that jazzy feel.

“Scraped” and “Pink Sun” feature definite 60s psychedelic overtones. “Pink Sun” is rife with harmonies and some nice power chords, which bring this tune back into today before settling back down to where it began—a roller coaster ride of sorts, but one worth standing in line for.

“Suffer a Smile,” an upbeat selection with well-placed guitar licks in the background is one of my personal favorites. This song seems to combine all of the band’s elements, musicianship and harmonies into a bob-your-head ditty made whole by some additional percussion, which creates a different feel from the previous tracks on this diverse offering.

“Daymare” is a lyrically unique tune which inspires thoughts of dreams, perhaps memories from childhood, or evoking someone in a state of flux, which segues perfectly into “Spaceboots.” “We’re on our way back to Mars, so put your space boots on…” is the warning coming through the effects-laden vocals which dominate, and evoke memories of Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust throughout.

Wrapping things up is another one of my personal favorites, “Salt.” I love the flow of this one from start to finish, as here, once again, I feel the band’s true colors coming through. A fantastic mix of both acoustic and electric styles with a very well-done drum track makes this a selection for your iPod for sure.

Overall, Emerge is a great effort from this experienced group of New York rockers. The disc is well-produced and mastered, no easy task I imagine, as bringing out the intricacies of multiple harmonies and guitar effects, and then combining the two into the final product was a task; one handled beautifully by both the band and Leon Zervos.

The disc is definitely worth the investment and can be found at links below.

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