Jonathan Leonard,  Leonard's Lair http://leonardslair.wordpress.com/

Here's a review from  Alan Clayson for "Rock 'N' Reel" magazine. (March/April 2008 issue, p.67)

HUNGRY DOG BRAND

****

Boy Meets Dog

(Starving Mongrel)

Flaming four years ago from the dull embers of The Aardvarks and Two-Bugs-And-A-Roach, this guitar-bass-keyboards-drums outfit of garage rock persuasion is the apparent toast of London's small but prestigious 12-Bar Club. It's creative pivot is Martin Dowsing, composer of all but one of the twelve selections here. As a lead vocalist, however, he doesn't stray far from a central two octaves. Yet it isn't necessary to do so because he functions admirably with an understated but committed enunciation that borders an area inhabited by Mark Astronaut, TV Smith and, producer of the group's Red Scarf EP debut, Wreckless  Eric.

      Combined with proficient ministering to overall outcome by the others, notably drummer Emyr Tomos, the effect is curiously compelling, even as Dowsing relies more often than not on little more than a repeated few notes to carry lyrics that might be weakened by stronger elaboration. Yet the melody of "You Don't Have To Be Stupid" crept up on me in a supermarket check-out queue - as the sentiments of acoustic finale "A Long Way From Here" did when hurtling along the M6 in the graveyard hours, hours from sleep. Finally, one of the saddest songs I've heard since The Len Bright Combo's "Someone Must Have Nailed Us Together" in 1986 is "Say Hello To My Idiot Son", an opus worth the entire price of the album.

                                                                                            Alan Clayson

Looking at the label name, the dog must be staring forlornly at the fridge as opposed to the old phonograph as per the old HMV imprint ! But I expect all is explained on www.myspace.com/hungrydogbrand
This album was arranged and produced by the ....US artist Preacher Boy, whose own work was sent to me by site pal Mark Bliesener out in ........Denver..it's a small world as we last saw Mark when be brought George Inai over to ........London.
Hungry Dog himself plays guitar and sings, mainly backed by bassist Matthew Karas, keys man Phil Stone and one Emyr Tomos on drums. Preacher Boy's guitar is much in evidence, from the outset on 'A Proud Heart', which would have fitted on the 'Trainspotting' soundtrack. Pleasingly, there's no attempt to emulate or copy acts – the forced jollity mood of 'Down At the Disco' does recall the sad seaside-in-winter act that Madness have morphed into, but this is a Hogarthian tale of a ghastly night out. The roots of this sound-picture approach might be Ian Dury, perhaps.
'A Night In Euston Station' is as grim a story as you might imagine ; most of the tempo's are an edgy push exemplified by 'Reunited', ruing renewed contact. Street/suburban poetry you'd be hard pushed to disagree with unless you are living life through rose tinted glasses with no income problems.
As for the audience for this, well I'd imagine followers of the quirky albums produced by my friend J Dowd might give this the proverbial fair hearing, grim stuff but wittily put together.

Pete Sargeant www.fairhearing.co.uk


"Boy Meets Dog' meanders through uncertain terrain, blending angular post-punk with blues licks, '50s swing and traditional rock and roll. The erstwhile Hungry Dog is your guide - his clipped, nasal vocal doesn't always settle easily on the ears, but he occasionally stumbles
upon some infectious choruses ('Down At The Disco', '(You Don't Have To Be) Stupid'). At their best, on 'Leprosy', Hungry Dog Brand mix Captain Beefheart with Tom Waits and sound deliciously threatening,and it's a shame that this eccentric rambling is cut short just as the band is allowed off the leash. If they harness more of that menace,
Hungry Dog Brand could be a force to be reckoned with."

Mike Haydock (Rock Sound magazine/Drowned In Sound.com)