Dog Soldier

First released in 1975 on United Artists Records, Dog Soldier marked a reunion of sorts for drummer Keef Hartley and guitarist Miller Anderson. The two had spent the better part of four years recording and touring as the Keef Hartley Band before the inevitable quest for solo stardom took hold. Stripping the jazz-rock tendencies of its predecessor, Dog Soldier aims for a more conventional sound, the inventive horn breaks replaced by a less interesting combination of guitar and keyboard interplay. "Looks Like Rain" is the album's most adventurous moment, a lengthy progressive-tinged number featuring some impressive guitar work from Anderson, who also provides lead vocals. "Stranger in My Own Time" is a mellow rhythm and blues track, a nod perhaps to the aforementioned Keef Hartley Band, but the remaining six song epitomize the facelessness of mid-'70s corporate rock. "Give as Good as You Get" and "Thieves and Robbers" are largely forgettable, while "You Are My Spark" is anything but. It didn't much matter, of course. Internal struggles caused the band to self-implode within months of the album's release and Dog Soldier was no more. Anderson eventually joined forces with guitarist Jimmy McCulloch (Thunderclap Newman, Wings) in a short-lived project called The Dukes.

Notes: Here is an audio-only YouTube clip of Dog Soldier's "Looks Like Rain:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb6TLfpr1Og.