Sounds of Day and Night… Hours of joy

Review: Dodson and Fogg – Sounds of Day and Night

Published on July 5th, 2013 | Jonny Abrams

Sounds of Day and Night is the third full album in less than a year from Chris Wade’s psych-folk recording project Dodson and Fogg, which has previously featured contributions from members of Fairport Convention, Hawkwind and Trees.

Wade’s increasing confidence as both musician and songwriter is obvious by how much more distinct and characterful each LP has been than its predecessor, perhaps the primary manifestation of this being the gradual shift in emphasis towards ‘psych’ from ‘folk’ without ever feeling in danger of being overcomplicated.

Though the influences may date back a few decades – Donovan, Jethro Tull, Ray Davies, Syd Barrett – occasionally more contemporary artists spring to mind: “Hear It in the Morning (Still)” is stately, brooding and enriched by trumpet like Super Furry Animals circa Mwng, “Lying in the Sun” is like some divine cross between The Olivia Tremor Control and Gomez…

…while “Night Train”, aside from managing to sound strangely like its title, makes Rocksucker think of a ‘grumbling’ Ozric Tentacles, whatever that truly means.

There’s plenty of entrancing bucolia (is that a word?) and open/’drop D’ tunings, which in itself casts Candidate’s Wicker Man-inspired Nuada album as a not-too-distant relative, beautiful album that is too in case your curiosity’s piqued.

“Life is All Around Me” is superb: it twinkles enraptured over deep, melodic pangs of Beach Boys-y bass, then rouses itself with dual electric guitar solos that dance an ancient dance together as one. It’s so good it’ll make you write poncy sentences like that about it.

The proggy mini odyssey of “Lonely Little Bird” is delightfully daft yet suitably mournful, “Feel It in the Air Around Yourself” seems to mine the chords from Oasis’s “Whatever” yet still comes out smelling of roses and “How Can You Be True” is hazy, sun-baked jangle pop of a remarkably high calibre, its twiddly acoustic lead parts leaping over fences like sleep-inducing sheep.

If you liked the Ducktails album from earlier this year, you must check out “How Can You Be True”. Word.

“Sounds of Day and Night Part 2” brings things to a mesmerising close with tambura, flute and clippy cloppy percussion, leaving Rocksucker both well impressed and keen to hear what happens on the next Dodson and Fogg album. However many months away that may be.

Sounds of Day and Night is out now on Wisdom Twins Records.

Rocksucker says: Four and a Half Quails out of Five!

a quail a quail a quail a quail half a quail

Artists: dodson and fogg

About the Author

Jonny Abrams Editor of Rocksucker and the website's founder, Jonny is passionate about the music he listens to, both good and bad, as well as interviewing his favourite musicians.