PAMPERED MENIAL

There are two things that you can easily distinguish in Pavlov's Dog's debut: the distinct voice of David Surkamp and the diversity in the music. I always had respect in the first two tracks (Julia and Late November), the most well known songs of the band, as I used to listen to them in my high-school years. I truly consider them as excellent pieces of classic rock with a touch of melody and a slight 'mainstream' sound.

But Pampered Menial is way more than that. The quality of the album is on high standards with different musical approaches from one song to another. The vocals are indeed in the 'love or hate' category, but one cannot deny the passion and the originality of Surkamp's voice. If listened to the album for the first time, you could easily presume that this may be a collection, and not a studio record, due to the many different styles of prog and rock introduced by the band. This is evident throughout the record, from the blues/ballad sound of Julia and Theme from Subway Sue to the rock'n'roll Natchez Trace, and from the heavy prog riffs of Song Dance to the ending 'proggish' of Once and Future Kings. These latter two are probably the highlights of the album, posing much interest to prog fans.

The use of violin and piano at several points introduce a melancholic atmosphere which blends perfectly with the character of the album. Folk and symphonic elements simply add to the 'spice' of this nostalgic effort. Highly recommended for listening during a Late November rainy night.

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