THAT DOG  retreat from the sun<

  GRAVITYGIRL hits the charismatic cutesy-pop tip...

(stop for that dog. http://come.to/thatdog)

Charisma can take you a long way. Who when seeing Jason Falkner and

his coy-cropped peroxi-locks charm live didn't just want to pop him onto

a piece of toast and eat him right up? That Dog are on a similar vanilla

vibe, and like so are rescued by the undeniable delight of their craft.


The Brad Wood production credits, gnarly femme harmonies, and DGC

residence will have short-sighted warmheart-neglectful kids thinking Salt,

but "Retreat From The Sun" is pure pop sugar, puppy. The thing that

sets it apart from a slew of indie rockin crews is the sheer joy with which

the music resonates; an angst-free zone, Anna Waronker's hopeless romanticism,

and lightly-whipped lyricisms abound with teeth-whitener-ping soundeffects,

and just have summer-lovin cookin from the kitsch-en. Retreat from the sun?

It's more like a picnic right on in the sun; furry rugs, frozen yoghurt

licking, blue skies, rainbows, lollipops et al. And even for someone as

100% fastidious as this kitten writing at the keyboard, it's just ace. So

ace.


And it's not like throwing the stick with That Dog is a totally bland

experience, the backing voices of Rachel and Petra Haden (Charlie Haden,

Josh Haden, Tanya Haden, genius family, Rentals, blah blah blah) adding

shimmering garden-hose rainbow qualities, the fey piano just jetting charmward,

and Petra H's violin giving the sound a more earthy affection than your

standard riff-rockers. And asides from the virago-vox of "Gagged And Tied",

the record swoons (and causes swooning) amongst a largely laid-back, playfully

pleasant pace, even the vainglorious throwback schmick of single "Never

Say Never" shows admirable restraint, keeping the rock-ness to a minimum.

It&iacute;s just beautiful, bashful, button-nosed pop-sicle pomp.



But, of course, what keeps the album turning and the smiles burning

are the blushing lyrical sweetness of the songs, the utterly genuine hopeless

romanticism aforereferenced true in a slew of lyrics: "I'll take you

driving in my brother's beat-up car, we'll share a cigarette and wish upon

a star together"... "He should be my new best friend, running

so romantically down the street for me"... "I've been alone all

through the nights, I'll be alone until the day I die"... "I have

this problem with you, I want to work it out but I don't know how to; every

time I try, every time I try I cry over you". And if you wanted to

look for a kicker, how about this: "He said: 'I'm leaving on Wednesday,

come and see me when Low plays'."


But wait!, just for some proverbial icing on the record, no one could

possibly deny themes flush with such genius as "Minneapolis's": "I

was at the Jabberjaw, the cutest boy I ever saw, he was standing behind

me, he was such a dream";  "Long Island's": "You're pretty

dreamy for a boy from Long Island"; and 'Hawthorne's': "I

saw you as a child, isn't it wild; and I saw you, a dream come true".








GEFFEN through UNIVERSAL MUSIC


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