V Dogg - Preliminary Attack

Hear The Track Here

OK hands up how many of you have done this, and I'll bet I see a veritable forest of hands. Internet lesson #3654 coming up folks... Sooner or later, ALL of us think 'wtf am I doing this for?' and in some extreme cases decide to take appropriate action. Some people leave the sites that have been at home in, some folks give up music altogether and some (like me) throw their toys out of the pram in despair and anger and soldier on regardless. I went to the school of Fugem Hall (motto: if you can't take a joke, don't be one) and learnt that one one thing works here. The depth of your love of music. See I often see people do what V Dogg has just done (a 2 month retirement) and I have a smile to myself. I know damn well the man will be back again in a couple of shakes because this ain't really as simple as it appears. Music is something you MUST do, and that's the end of it. So might as well acknowledge that fact and move with it my brother, make the music you now know you must.

Speaking of which, I haven't always seen eye to eye with the Dogg on his musical style, and that isn't because I don't like the hip hop/rap genre - I do. Mind you, I got to give the guy credit for trying and even, over the last few tracks, delivering some nice stuff. I gave his Furry Crew's Ride With The... (June 2006) a Highly Recommended mostly on the strength of the Dogg's woofin' n' wailin'. I think the same could be said of this new track too, even though I've only heard it a few times as yet.

There's an increasing maturity in V Dogg's delivery and his vocal confidence has come on like gangbusters so quite why he felt moved to retire completely escapes me. Just when you are beginning to hit a creative peak is definitely not the moment to give it up. Good job then that my first thought about his retirement ('he'll be back') proved correct because Preliminary Attack is a hearty slice of Dogg food that shows the new, improved recipe he is following. Damn, why am I beginning to write this as if it were an advert for Pedigree Chum? Back to the music. Although I ain't exactly convinced about some of the instrumentation on this track, the way it is used is right on the money. As indeed, is the man himself.

Excellent rap, catchy hip hop. What more could you want? Recommended.