By Kevin Oliver
When the sudden news of Stardog guitarist Beau Long’s death spread through the local rock scene last year, it looked like a void had opened up that would be difficult to fill. Long’s proficiency in the kind of 70s/80s arena-ready rock swagger that Stardog excelled at is not something that’s all that common anymore. How would the band soldier on, or would they?
Turns out that Long had one more fight left in him; his guitar parts for the band’s next album were completed prior to his passing. It is a fitting tribute to their late bandmate that the remaining band members chose to press on and finish what they’d started with Long.
Four of the six tunes here are new compositions–Long’s last written and played with the rest of the band. There’s the boxing allegory, “The Left Hand,” which equates the sweet science to life lessons learned the hard way. “Lying” brings the Stardog sound into a more swinging 90’s alt-rock direction, more Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots than anything that might have worn spandex tights on stage. It’s also lead singer Artie Joyner’s peak performance, vocally, where he’s just soaring above the music on the chorus, yet emotive and restrained in the verses when he needs to be.
“All Time High,” with an insistent tempo driven by rock solid drummer Scott Mark King and a chorus that invites fist pumping and singing along, is typical of the band’s strengths–taking something that in lesser hands might be considered dated and cheesy and making it sound fresh and exciting all over again.
The other thing that Stardog does well is create the kind of songs that make you think you’ve heard them before. “Nobody’s Sleeping” is one of two older songs included on this new release, It opens the proceedings with a not-so-subtle Van Halen style arrangement; stick around for the scorching Beau Long guitar solo–it’s worth the wait. “Lemonade Girl” is built on a riff and chord progression that’s naggingly familiar (I have my suspicions, but I’ll let you figure it out for yourself) before the full band kicks in for yet another great singalong chorus.
There is no pretense or artifice in the music Stardog plays, nor has there ever been. The band’s signature style is pure unadulterated over the top FM rock grandiosity, and here they deliver it like they are playing for the kids in the cheap nosebleed seats, lighters raised for an encore.