Street Dogs

With their anthemnic hardcore-ish punk, Street Dogs are reminiscent of The Gang’s All Here-era Dropkick Murphys with a touch more street level and dirt between the fingernails. Then again, when a band is comprised of former Dropkicks and Mighty Mighty Bosstones, there’s pretty much no escaping that inevitable comparison. On this outing, the Street Dogs deliver more of the same: mildly oi-tempered punk rock that sticks true to the 4/4 beat and fostering many a drunken chant-a-long. Timely lyrics tackle the obvious political mindset and war, but as lead singer Mike McColgan (the aforementioned Dropkick) is a Gulf War veteran, he has a right to vent. In fact, his views are so straightforward and unique because of experience that Fading American Dream holds more weight than a thousand Anti-Flags. Understanding the firsthand knowledge behind songs such as "Rights to Your Soul,” "Common People” and the title track are unnerving yet entertaining. Still, with a bunch of bar-sitting loogans such as this lot, the brain-dead humour has to kick in eventually and counter the serious thanks to silly numbers including "Fatty” and "Tobe’s Got a Drinking Problem.” Amusing and catchy even if it’s not entirely progressive, Fading American Dream is a great step up for Street Dogs.