Bloodhound

Episode 35 comes alive with a feature on the garage rock nugget, "Bloodhound," originally laid down in 1961 by the shaggy dog himself, Larry Bright (1:48). We spend some time scrutinizing his slick guitar work, evoking burly session musicians making puppy sounds in the studio, and contemplating the place of meanness in garage rock lyrics. The second in the litter is Downliners Sect, who recorded the tune in 1964 (36:45). They get right to the chase, which is appropriate for a band whose leader wears a deerstalker hat: snotty vocals, wailing harp, and two instro breaks which clock in at a Westminster Kennel Club-approved two minutes flat! Next up are some Swedish mutts known as the Tages (57:50): their version isn't very dogmatic because there's nary a yelp or whimper, and they must be well-trained since they trick us with two false endings. Meanwhile, they may be in the back of the pack, but The Gruesomes ain't no runts (1:14:36)!  They waxed the track back in 1986 when they were just pups, but they retrieve the piano last heard in '61, along with a heap of energetic howling that's sure to draw the dogcatcher!!