Kerbdog - On The Turn

Kerbdog were (and occasionally, still are) a three-piece alternative rock band. Surprisingly, the credit for the severely underrated Irish band’s formation goes to (well, apart from the band themselves of course!) none other than the Christian Brothers, as band members Cormac Battle (vocals/guitar), Colin Fennelly (bass guitar) and Darragh Butler (drums) met while attending the same CB school in Kilkenny. Billy Dalton (guitar) joined the band in 1992.

“On The Turn” is the band’s second and final album. 1996 saw them back in the recording studio after the success of their 1994 début album “Kerbdog”. Produced by G.G. Garth of Rage Against the Machine fame, “On The Turn” was recorded in Los Angeles and is deemed by many to be the better of the two. Part Helmet and part Therapy?, the songs are powerful and melodious with a “quiet/loud” dynamic, changing from clean and soft to searing guitars and pounding drums. A fantastic mix of great melody, energetic catchy riffs, and sing-a-long choruses mean “On The Turn” has a wide appeal and a great summery feel to it.

Track number one “Sally”sets the pace for the rest of the album. Simple lyrics and an infectious tune make it a catchy opener. “JJ’s Song” continues in the same style. Snappy guitar sections add interest and vary the sound. “Mexican Wave” starts slowly with a relentless tune that slips easily into another all-powerful chorus. “Severed” is the dark horse of the album. The rumbling intro leads to snarling vocals but nevertheless it wins the listener over. “Lesser Shelf” opens with an energetic rapid bass and guitar section that gives way to another simple yet powerful chorus. The final track, “Sorry For The Record”, cools off the album nicely, trailing into a wave of feedback before repeating the opening lines of “Sally”. As soon as the album stops, it is guaranteed that you will be pressing play again.

Unfortunately, the album’s release was delayed and when eventually put out, it never sold in large enough quantities to satisfy their label. Kerbdog were the losers in the game of record company acquisition and label juggling that was so prevalent in the latter part of the 90s and they were dropped from their label’s roster. They left in their wake a drawn-out echo of “what if?”... They split in 1998 after a sold-out show in Dublin Mean’s Fiddler.

A series of reunion gigs in 2005 was very successful for the band. However, they have since stated that due to the great changes in their lives they have no plans to record any new material, though they have played at least one gig a year since 2005.

Track List

1. “Sally”

2. “JJ’s Song”

3. “Didn’t Even Try”

4. “Mexican Wave”

5. “Severed”

6. “Pledge”

7. “On The Turn”

8. “Secure”

9. “Lesser Shelf”

10. “Pointless”

11. “Rewind”

12. “Sorry For The Record”