All Aboard is the debut album by the band Dog of Two Head. The group of four musicians, who tour as a tribute to British Rock band Status Quo, have recorded an album of original material. The band consists of Rick Abbs (Lead & Slide Guitar, Bass, Vocals), Christopher Fernihough (Rhythm Guitar | Lead Guitar on track 8), Fasker Johnson (Bass Guitar) and Terry Abbs (Drums, Percussion, Vocals) The album encompasses a smattering of genres including Boogie Rock, Rockabilly, 1980s Guitar Rock and 1990s Soft Rock. I’ve listened to this album several times, and All Aboard surprises me at every turn.
While some of the tracks evoke the classic sound of Status Quo at their height, others stray outside the zone. All Aboard, the song is an example of this; An instrumental feast full of hypnotic lead lines, hidden vocal passages and enough deviation to keep the listener guessing. Anthem is a solid piece of 80s Rock that reminds this reviewer of Survivor at their best. It’s fair to say every track is a highlight, and they all complement each other beautifully; Don’t Tell Me’s boogie rock and lyrics fuse nicely with bittersweet’s almost Britpop vibe.
I saw this band recently at the Status Quo fan club convention and was blown away by their solid renditions of frantic four classics. During their set, they played two tracks from this album; Fool and Straight Through The Middle. These songs really pack a punch and have stuck in my head since that evening. Fool, in particular, has a catchy chugging rhythm coupled with a Buddy Holly-type vocal hook that is incredibly pleasing. Both songs translate to record extremely well and will remain in music rotation for me for years to come.
Conclusion
What is clear from listening to this album, is that the songwriters experimented with their influences and tried to push the envelope further. The band deliver tight performances with enough light and shade. This is an album that will please their Quo fanbase, but also entice Rock music fans to give them a try. All Aboard is available to stream on Spotify and all music platforms.
Track List:
- Working Girl (R.Abbs)
- I Sold My Soul (R.Abbs/T.Abbs)
- 21st Century Rock ‘n’ Roll (Smith/R.Abbs/T.Abbs)
- Without Love (R.Abbs)
- Don’t Tell Me (Smith/R.Abbs/T.Abbs)
- Bittersweet (R.Abbs)
- All Aboard (R.Abbs)
- Anthem (Smith/T.Abbs)
- Fool (R.Abbs)
- Straight Through The Middle (Smith/T.Abbs)
