Dogwoods – ‘Full Blown’: Time to Rock!

The Dogwoods are here to help us out! The band from Middle Franconia in Germany announced their debut album, titled ‘Full Blown‘. A record that sets off explosions!

Rock the way we dream it!

Behind Dogwoods we'll find two guys, Sandro and Lukas, hailing from Germany. Their goal is to produce good, homemade rock music. And when we say homemade, we mean it! The two guys do everything themselves. From songwriting all the way to the final recorded track. 

‘Full Blown‘ was the first CD they recorded and it's the work they're introducing themselves to us with. At the same time, the record is also the first attempt by Dogwoodsto break away from playing covers and create their own material. Their influences range from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin all the way to Blackberry Smoke and Country. The experience of this first production was an excellent lesson for the members. A lesson they want to build on to start working on their next album right away.

Music that's very familiar to us

Listening to ‘Full Blown‘ I feel like the music of Dogwoods is very familiar. It had something classic about it! The band has taken all the principles that spring from the best years of classic rock, renewed them, and serve them to us in the best possible way. Closing my eyes, I feel like a record from that era is playing, and that's the first major fortress the band conquers, giving us a taste of that era!

Beyond that, the main element I hear on 'Full Blown', the element that makes the sound stand out, is the guitars. There's this epicness! The music is characterized by steady and straight rhythms, clean and 'to the point' riffs, and vocals that can whip the listener into a frenzy. I couldn't think of a better combination to build a song. Without wordy solos or overly elaborate techniques on guitar and drums, the Dogwoods are here to remind us how simple music can be.

A combination of many musical styles

Beyond the classic rock element, we can also make out plenty of country elements. The combination of overdriven guitars with these country-flavored riffs makes the band's music stand with one foot in Old Albion (aka UK) and the other in the American South. The Dogwoods seem to have made a record that presents us with a new breed of southern music. 

The record, however, isn't made up only of powerful tracks. There are songs like 'Road To You', 'Southern Train' and 'Peace Of Mind' that bring a bit of balance towards a softer sound. Especially for 'Road To You'Road To You' I'd say it strongly recalls, from a songwriting perspective, Zakk Wylde! 

Editor's Choice: 'Detention (Hillside Part One)'

It's the first track on the record and it's awesome! The best way to get into the swing of things. It's that moment when you hear something good and go: 'What just happened?!'. 'Detention' is a track built on country and classic principles. The rhythm and the way it 'moves' recalls songwriting from the Black Keys. Two minutes and 28 seconds packed with riffs pulled straight out of the most important chapters of blues, and very melodic vocals.

A powerful kickoff that stokes our interest for what's to come

The Dogwoods step onto the rock map in a very dynamic way, the kind that forces us to pay attention to their music! 'Full Blown' has it all. Songs with power, power ballads, and vocals that send chills down your spine. If I had to highlight just one element, it would be the simplicity and clarity of the compositions on the album. There's nothing fake or contrived. Every track feels like it could be delivered faithfully live, with no differences in sound. 

This debut album is a piece of work that at the very least makes us take notice of the band, and definitely makes us look forward to their future releases, and why not, some live show in Greece… Until then, let's enjoy this record!

Let yourselves be 'Full Blown' by the Dogwoods!