WONDERLUST

Description

Last year, while Pavlov's Dog was celebrating the release of the retrospective box set Essential Recordings 1974-2018, the band was already working on a new album of original compositions. This album, titled Wonderlust, is now available, half a century after their debut album Pampered Menial, which featured the hit "Julia" and briefly made Pavlov's Dog the darlings of the 1970s progressive rock scene. This new album is a work of exceptional creativity, with songs built on intelligent songwriting, high-level musicianship, and an infallible sense of the spectacular that has marked the band's sound over the years. Originally formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in the early 1970s, Pavlov's Dog, with its unique blend of rock, classical, and folk music, became a cult legend. Their initial moment of glory, however, was short-lived: by 1977, the original lineup had already disbanded. Lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter David Surkamp continued creating and rejoined fellow founder Doug Rayburn to record Lost In America in 1990. But the second chapter of Pavlov's Dog's career truly began well after the turn of the millennium, with a talented assembly of new-generation musicians carrying on the band's legacy. Still led by Surkamp, the band has elevated its game in recent years, thanks to a renewed interest in progressive rock that has allowed them to tour regularly. The current lineup has far surpassed the original version of Pavlov's Dog in terms of longevity: singer Sara Surkamp, violinist Abbie Steiling, bassist Rick Steiling, and keyboardist Mark Maher, along with founder David Surkamp, have formed the core of the band for seven years. Already present on the celebrated 2018 album Prodigal Dreamer, this duo of seasoned musicians, notably aided by drummer Steve Bunck and guitarist Phil Ring, once again proves its worth on Wonderlust. From the first listen, one is struck by the depth, maturity, and vision of the album's eleven tracks. Some, like the opening track "Anyway There's Snow," where Abbie Steiling's magnificent violin is highlighted, are dazzlingly dramatic. The string-infused track "Another Blood Moon" perfectly illustrates Pavlov's Dog's musical melancholy; on an album rich in powerful vocal performances, it might be Surkamp's most captivating. But let's not forget that Pavlov's Dog is first and foremost a rock band. Tracks like the enthusiastic "Mona" and the outspoken "Collingwood Hotel" hit the mark. "Jet Black Cadillac" sounds like the title of a classic rock 'n' roll song, but the track is generally melancholic at first glance. (Let's be frank: Pavlov's Dog almost always sounds a bit melancholic.) As soon as the eponymous Cadillac appears in the catchy chorus, the track takes flight, the dream car serving as an escape from the blues. Then come the brazen charm of "Solid Water, Liquid Sky" and the hard rock leanings of "Can't Stop The Hurt." Long-time fans looking for musical flourishes typically associated with "prog" will want to pay attention to the second half of the album. On the instrumental centerpiece "Calling Sigfried," written by Abbie Steiling, the band explodes and reveals its collective musical genius. Finally, the album concludes with a trio of collaborations between Surkamp and his former writing partner, the late Doug Rayburn. Of the three, "Canadian Rain" particularly draws on the adventurous spirit of 1970s progressive rock, with its many tempo changes and a slap electric bass solo that comes out of nowhere. From beginning to end, Pavlov's Dog sounds like a band with enough experience to know what it's doing, but whose creativity is still overflowing with new ideas. Wonderlust is an album overflowing with well-executed and fully realized rock, where Surkamp proves he hasn't lost his voice and that an old dog can learn new tricks. Good music like this will never go out of style.