Happy Ending

Dogstar

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 14, 2000)
• Original Release Date: July 11, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Artemis Classics
• ASIN: B00004U05T
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,361 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Halo

2. Slipping Down

3. Enemies

4. Superstar

5. Cornerstore

6. Dreamtime

7. Stagger

8. Washington

9. Alarming

10. Swim

11. Blown Away

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There's an adage in Hollywood that writers want to direct, musicians yearn to be actors, and actors hunger to be musicians. Indeed, ample evidence abounds to support the maxim. Which brings us to Dogstar, who've ironically never escaped being dismissed as lightweight, arguably because of their Hollywood connections; the band's bass player is film star Keanu Reeves, while drummer Rob Mailhouse did his time on a soap opera. Ten years on, Happy Ending represents their American "debut release," and if its occasionally grungy pretensions seem to have missed that bandwagon by a year or four, they also can't betray the pop sensibilities ("Halo," "Stagger") of ex-Nuns member Bret Domrose, whose singing and writing is actually the band's focus. The ex-San Francisco punk rocker's songs are possessed by an almost folksy sensitivity ("Cornerstore,""Washington") wed to a polished alt-rock. Unfortunately, Domrose's rhythm section mates are both fine actors. The presence of radio-friendly producer Richie Zito and a cover of the Carpenters' "Superstar" seem to hint that this is a band that both yearns to be taken seriously and is willing to lease a little soul for a shot at mainstream acceptance. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very likeable CD!, July 30, 2000

By	MIKE PHILLIPS (wilmington'de) - See all my reviews

The sound of Dogstar surprised me. I don't know why, but I had pictured that this cd was going to be either real grungy or real alternative. Maybe because of the screen star power behind the group (Keanu Reeves) made me think this was going to sound more like Aleka's Attic ( the band River Phoenix was in).Nothing could be farther from the truth. Dogstar's sound is almost comprable to the light, alt-rock pop of the Gin Blossoms. It has that same airy feel, with the same hidden song writing cleverness. Their cover of Superstar is a prime example. But what you really get is a cd that's easy to listen to, without being easy listening. Songs like Halo, Cornerstone, and A Dreamtime are all catchy, possible radio targets. Its not until you get to the 7th track Stagger, where the band seems to up the tempo(Stagger also happens to be one of the standout tracks)into a more punk,funk genre. None of this cd is bad. If anything, Dogstar seems to play it a bit safe with release. You can tell there's a lot more that the band is capable of, and I look forward to hearing it in future releases.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one to hold on to. Trust me., January 23, 2001

By	Bill Allison "Bill Allison" (Southwest Missouri, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Happy Ending (Audio CD)

This one came as quite a suprise. I didn't quite know where Keanu Reeves was going when I heard that he turned down the role for Speed 2 to focus more on his music. Whether that be his reason or not,(thank god he wasn't in speed 2, it was awful) his music is something great. Instead of using his fame as an actor to sell the record, he keeps things simple and plays his cards right by staying on bass and doing some back-ups. Everyone in the trio gets their spot in this project without any of them trying to outshine each other. This is one of the most consistently good albums I have picked up in the last year. It's very palatable and sounds good anywhere you play it. It is also something to play at your house when you have friends over. People will be asking "who is this? It's great!" There are songs of love, loss, and break-ups, but it is also a very up-lifting album that slaps you in the face and says "Hey, Man! Get over it!! It's gonna be okay." The opening track "Halo" is by far, one of the best on the album but I'm not gonna go through a track by track, run down of the album because the whole thing plays great as a whole. Cynical jerks may snicker over the cover of "Superstar" but that's their problem. It's a great cover of a timeless song. Please pick this one up as soon as you can. It will never leave your collection. Ever.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love This Band!!, September 3, 2000

A Kid's Review

I heard about Dogstar in an interview i read about Keanu Reeves. Being as he's my favorite actor, i decided to check it out. When I found it, it was a limited edition CD, so I got it right away. Since then, I've been a Dogstar freak. i love the Cd, especially Cornerstore and Superstar. I went on Napster after that, and now I have 8 songs from Dogstar that aren't on "Happy Ending". Anyhoo, if you want good music to listen to that won't bore you or tick you off, buy this CD. You won't regret it.