Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour - 'Black Confetti' EP Review

Tracklist:

1. Black Confetti

2. Love Comes True

3. Bottle Of Red (Acoustic)

4. The State I’m In (MMXVIII)

30 years… This is like the late 80’s/ early 90’s all over again as Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour release a 4 song EP ahead of their new album which comes out next month. I make no apologies in saying that Tyla has been my favorite artist of all time for 30 years now. I cannot help recall at the moment how many times I played the ‘Satellite Kid’ CD single back in the day. I have not loved everything he has done, but there are not many dull moments. Over the past several years, this combination of Tyla (vocals/ guitar), Matty James Cassidy (bass), Gary Pennick (guitar), and Simon Hanson (drums) have formed an incredibly tight unit leading to this combination of Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour. After several prior projects, they set forth on the new album ‘In Vino Veritas’ in celebration of 35 years of the Dogs. They are not trying to replicate the amazing material of the past but are instead showing new sides of the Dogs. With the bonus tracks exclusive to this release, it is even more reason to play the crap out of this as we wait for the new album.

‘Black Confetti’ simply sounds amazing with the initial strums of the electric guitar leading us into the first taste of vocals and cymbals before a brief pause that then brings the whole band into the mix with some awesome saxophone added as well. This is not your typical single by any means. It has a hook in the verse that quickly cuts into your memory with a briefly repetitious line in the chorus providing another hammer on the nail. This is not a vocal heavy song though with Pennick, Cassidy, and Hanson all getting to shine for these four minutes. ‘Love Comes True’ recalls perhaps the era of ‘The Life and Times of a Ballad Monger’ with its harmonica also coming into the mix. This is classic sounding Tyla with another big hook and some tasteful ‘ooh sha la la’ backing vocals providing even more icing on the cake. One of the things that really stands out on this one is Tyla sounds as happy as I have ever heard him.

‘Bottle Of Red’ is presented to us in an acoustic format for this EP and is a lot of fun. Again, this truly feels like a celebration, and the chemistry in the band is overwhelmingly good. The mix of their voices creates some awesome backing vocals as well. In honor of 35 years, the band also includes a new version of the classic ‘The State I’m In.’ I have this song in many variations, and it would take far too long to tell you how they differ. All I will say is that this version sounds outstanding.

With the changes in the world today in terms of how music is released, there is an uplifting feeling to having a band incorporate the old ways to provide additional music while keeping the album at a vinyl friendly length. Tyla’s Dogs D’Amour have released a brilliant classic opening single to what is shaping up to be a monster of an album to close 2018 in style. Amazing job guys.

‘Black Confetti’ is available now.

‘In Vino Veritas’ is available November 16th.

Website - http://www.tylasdogsdamour.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tylasdogsdamour/

Review - Gerald Stansbury