File this one squarely under “deceiving appearances.� With the black and white cover photo shot in a factory, Xeroxed-to-within-an-inch-of-legibility Old English type treatment and pixilated back cover art, Culann’s Hounds’ sophomore album, Year of the Dog, sends out a punk vibe that pulses from the heart of 1978. So imagine the surprised looks at the speakers when the play button produces a straight up Celtic band from the sainted green highlands of San Francisco. Since Black 47 has the concession on contemporized urban Irish pop/rock sewn up, Culann’s Hounds chooses to hew close to the roots (“Dirty Old Town,� to be sure), even pushing into Appalachia for a cover of “The Tennessee Waltz.� For those keeping track of such things, Blues Travelers’ John Popper peels off some not-so-traditional harp licks on “Twin Peaks� and Irish warbler Susan McKeown contributes vocals on a pair of tracks. Faith and begorrah, Culann’s Hounds has enough whiskey and spit to satisfy the traditionalists and enough energy and passion to attract the revisionists.
Brian Baker
