Customer Reviews

Retreat From the Sun

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I first heard That Dog on some back ass Beck tracks like "Girl Dreams" and "Totally Confused" and I immediately wanted to hear more. I went out and got "Retreat From the Sun" and it is still one of my favorite albums to date. I can listen to it at any time and as many times as humanly possible and not get sick of it. After I heard this album, I then got their first two albums (That Dog, st and Totally Crushed Out). I hear a lot of people argue that these albums are better because they are truly "That Dog sounding" albums, but I can't agree with that. I think it was the evolution and maturity of the band that made "Retreat From the Sun" so much better. There was much more Anna Waronker influence in my opinion on this album.

If you've never heard of That Dog, buy all of their albums and decide for yourself. Personally, if you took all of my Beatles and Beck albums away, this would be one of the top albums in my collection.

An album that can be enjoyed by both genders regardless of the fact that this record has been accused of being a "CHICK" album.
Worth buying!

i am a self proclaimed HUGE that dog fan, and when i first heard this cd, i was a little disappointed because of its very glassy, pop-ish appearance.

but after ive listened to it several times all the way through, ive realized that the more mature sound produced on this cd makes it one of the best albums ive EVER bought. theres a lot of very clear depth in the lyrics- they arent DEEP, i mean, theyre not going to make your head spin with self-pity, but their simplicity is so touching and real that you come to love the words almost instantly.
and as always, any band, especially a punk-ish band, that utilizes a violin with such ingenuity wins 45555+ points.

best/fav track: minneapolis- its sad, and beautiful, and has an infectious bass line.

amazing cd. buy it.

When Anna Waronker quips, "We're setting out to sail courageously" on RETREAT FROM THE SUN's lead off track, "I'm Gonna See You", she isn't lying. Not so long ago, that dog. made low-fi pop/punk albums that, while great fun to listen to, really didn't hone in on the band's superior skills. Don't get me wrong, the first two albums are a must have, but RETREAT FROM THE SUN is an instant sugar rush: pure pop, gorgeous harmonies and a sense of urgency. From the powerful rave up "Gagged and Tied" to the chirpy title track, the band scratches the surface of their influences (most obviously the Go-Gos and the Bangles) and bounces back with taut songwriting. One only has to listen to the clever build-up on "Did You Ever?" - the guitar tacks on to the violin, the drums resonate off the bass and midway through, the vocals come together in a syrupy harmony that would only make the most hardnosed cynic frown. RETREAT FROM THE SUN is a tantalizing taste of what could've happen if the band didn't break up... something I'm still bitter over. BUY THIS NOW.

Hmmm...One of my friends was over once, looking at my varied music collection (Over 1300 at last count) and asked what is my favorite kind of music. I thought about it a bit, and then replied that I like something with a bit of grit, something soulful, something catchy, perferably with harmonies in it. There's a lot of groups out there that fit that bill (Superdrag, Veruca Salt, et al), but the one that really sums it up perfectly is That Dog. Their harmonies interlaced with sullen, sometimes explosive riffs make for a complete "Ear Candy" experience. My only gripe about them is that their songs tend to be too short (Less than 4 minutes). I'd love for them to really go for a long tune once in a while, but that's just me being selfish. All-in-all, this is a true music treat for anyone interested in a very talented band who obviously know their place in the music genre.

The band That Dog's latest (and unfortunately last) CD ~ Retreat From The Sun, is a pure gem. This CD is fantastic. With a sound completely unlike their previous cd's there is something new here for anyone, including those whom have That Dog's other cds. Anna's vocals are soft and beautiful. And Petra Haden's violin is what makes the sound of That Dog unique.

This cd is pure joy, dealing with human emotions, relationships, falling in love. There is something everyone can relate with on this cd. Every song is classic. Buy this cd. You'll love it. I promise.

The 90's gave us a lot of great power pop. For starters, there was Matthew Sweet and Weezer first two abums. But that dog.'s Retreat From the Sun is one of the decades most underappreciated albums, period. It was so underappreciated that the band actually broke up after their major label, DGC (home of a ton of big alt-rock bands in the day), didn't really support the album at all. And it's a damn shame. After two earlier albums that were filled with decent-but-overly-saccharine pop-rock, the band got it so, so right on this one. 13 songs in just over 45 minutes, each one of them a big, beautiful, insanely catchy slice of rocking, hook-filled awesomeness. Lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Anna Waronker puts exactly the right amount of crunch in these songs, giving her band some real muscle whenever it's needed. Drummer Tony Maxwell pounds his way through the rockers, with nicely-timed fills all over the place; meanwhile, he backs off on the small handful of slower songs. And then there are the sisters Haden. Bassist Rachel and violinist Petra augment Waronker's vocals with their own beautiful, often complex harmonies and other backing vocals. Along with the rather unique sound of a full-time violin, it gives the whole album a lush undertone. The end result is something pretty amazing. From the rocking "Never Say Never" and "Gagged and Tied" to the more gentle "Until the Day I Die," there isn't a bad song on the album.

Here it is, That Dog.'s final swan song. This truly is Liz Phair's lost album. I dont mean that in any way to disrespect That Dog, it's just that this record has a VERY uncanny resemblence to Liz Phair. Maybe it's because the producer of her first 3 albums, Brad Wood, is on board. Or is it Anna Waronker's vocals? Anyways, this is the album Liz should have made when she went total pop in 2003.

Awesome harmonies, violin, guitar work. Get it!

"Retreat from the Sun" bridges the tiny gap between youthful naivete and adult realization. The lead singer's lightweight vocals hover high above the actual lyrics, which are grounded in S & M ("Gagged and Tied") and lost love ("Cowboy Hat"). Most of the album deals with a young girl's desire to be witty and cute around that "dreamy boy from Long Island" or the rebel-type standing in line at the Jabberjaw music club. That Dog, like Everclear, are engaging artists able to paint vivid pictures in three minutes or less of young souls yearning to understand adult themes like love, divorce, and rejection. Fortunately for the listener, the heroes in That Dog's ditties can only view the world through bubble gum pink colored glasses. And that's just fine. In an alternative universe cluttered with Cobain clones and pretentious contenders feigning righteousness, it's nice to listen to the innocent rambling of a teen-age girl who believes in fairy tale romances, albeit modernized. Instead of marrying Prince Charming and living in a cozy castle, "Retreat from the Sun's" narrator would prefer a punk rocker and bridal suite complete with leather whips and chains.

I this album. I bought it at the same time as froSTed (Jane Wiedlin from the Go-Go's band). What the other reviewers have missed here is the presence of Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's) and her husband Jeff McDonald (Redd Kross). It certainly fits in with the style of music that Caffey and McDonald worked with during this period (froSTed, Jewel, Hole, Belinda Carlisle etc). I love the songs "Minneapolis", "Never Say Never" etc are great. It follows in line with the other great girl groups.