Stray Dogg, an Americana and self-described “melancholic indie-folk band” from Belgrade, Serbia has released a second studio album, Fire’s Never Wrong.
The band composed of Dukat Stray (guitar, harp, vocals and backup vocals), Jelena Damjanovic (piano), Ana Jankovic (violin, backup vocals), Marko Ignjatovic (lead guitar), Vladimir Milicevic (bass) and Relja Ilic (drums) got a lot of exposure after being a backup to Chinawoman and Scout Niblett.
But what especially gave them a push is their collaboration with Devendra Banhart on their single “Time,” also featured on the album.
“Fire’s Never Wrong” features nine nostalgic tracks. Starting with...
Disappear
Is an opening track that sets the mood of the whole album. Hovering guitars and slow nostalgic drums are accompanied by Dukat sentimentally singing, “I ask you to leave and pray for you to stay…”
Don’t Go
Puts an emphasis on acoustic guitar, hazy, dreamy vocals and a good old sound of the harmonica. The track opens with beautiful, wounded lyrics: “Can't see you cry/breaks me in two/some things just die/is that why you're blue?”
Sail Away
Opens with drifting guitars and “I tried to sail away/but the waves keep bringing me back. And for the reasons out of this world/I am sublimely drawn to you.” The accompanying weeping violins and breathy backups add to the sentiment of this track.
Soul
Is a more upbeat, drums-driven track that features the already familiar dreamy, hovering guitars.
Time (feat. Devendra Banhart)
Features poignant acoustic guitar and hazy, floating, resonating vocals that carry all of the emotional heaviness of this song.
Ugly Morning
Opens with fast acoustic guitar-picking and those hovering wild west guitars and closes with harmonica.
Fire’s Never Wrong
The title track features blazing guitar, underlying violin that gives it shape and an edge, and deep, dark vocals. “Everything I've known/everything I've lived for/ everything I've owned/everything I've worked for/gets blown in the air,” Dukat sings.
1,2,3
Is a quite surprising track when it comes to vocals. They’re dark, eerie and ghostly, but they give the song that emotional depth.
Whisper
Is a slow, sentient ballad that closes the album with the same sentiment as the opening track. It is more acoustically and vocally lightweight than “1,2,3.”
Overall, Fire’s Never Wrong is a raw, honest and sentimental journey that closely examines the states of the mind, soul and heart. Stray Dogg’s music speaks to the heartbroken melancholic souls with such an understanding.
Listen to the album here!
Check out their latest video for "Time!"
Image: Bandcamp