By John Garces/reporter
With the recent release of their first CD Our Hope, the Texas country band The Bird Dogs hope to become the next big thing in Texas music.
The group is fronted by local radio host George Dunham, who fans of sports radio giant The Ticket will already know from his work on the Dunham & Miller morning show. But it’s clear with this record that fans of the Texas country genre will know him for his musical abilities as well.
What stands out about this record is how each song sounds distinctive from the one before, all the while maintaining the basic formula that fans of the genre will enjoy.
The record is full of songs that show the up-until-now hidden talents of Dunham as he wrote every song on the record as well as performed as the group’s lead guitarist.
Whether it be tackling the subject of small-town Texas high school football in the song “Friday Night,” which is sure to bring smiles to the faces of anyone who remembers those days fondly, or the melancholy “Eyes Open Wide,” which takes a reflective turn as Dunham laments about being “halfway to the end,” and then proceeds to list all the things he wishes he would have done in life, such as reading more or getting in shape.
Even though the record is heavy on snappy Texas red dirt tunes, the group’s collective influences come through in several ways. One is the rocking, up-tempo Southern rock tribute to Neil Young, simply titled “Neil,” which shows the influence of the iconoclastic Young on the collective musical interests of the band.
Another one of the highlights of the record is the song “Thought It Was You.” Like many of the songs on the album, it is easy on the ears and one of the most radio-friendly pieces on the record. The track is currently being played in rotation on the popular Texas music station The Ranch.
Collectively, the songs on the album make for a more-than-suitable addition to the collection of any Texas music junkie.
While the title may be some sort of metaphorical reference to the hope that Dunham and his mates have for their music, it is also the hope of many that The Bird Dogs and their music be taken to the masses as quickly as possible.
The CD can be purchased at cdbaby.com and is at Charley’s guitar shop in Dallas.
