Wild Hares - Dose

by Maarten Schiethart

published: 24 / 4 / 2019

Maarten Schiethart finds much to recommend in 'Dose', Colorado indie duo Wild Hares' 2017 CD only debut album indie classic.

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Raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Tracy Santa moved to San Francisco where in around 1984 he released an EP as the 84 Rooms. In 1988, a 7 inch as The Idlewiles again brought little luck and Santa's career as a lecturer took the upper hand, teaching literature to classes as diverse as air force pilots and Colorado University students. Settled in Colorado, Santa teamed up with drummer Michael Salkind and, by way of miracle, they formed this duo and released 'Dose', a CD album which might hopefully still become a LP album. 'Dose' truly is an album which defies marketing, popular taste or anything of such nonsense. As Ann Peebles would have sung, it comes 'Straight from the Heart'. Snappy from moment one, the blunt lyrics prove even too direct for my computer's VLC player which fails to recognise this Wild Hares CD and instead tells me I'm listening to a Gene Pitney album. This has often happened before. According to VLC's faulty software, I often listen to George Michael on EMI Records. I much prefer to have this music to be confused with Gene Pitney. On top of this, it's a dilemma only a critic would face, listening to music that's not generally available on the internet. 'Dose' is very much the epitome of this. 'Rock'n Roll Will Never Die' opens this home affair album and is probably the weakest track here. With each song though the standard is raised. 'You're My Baby Sitter' comes with a good deal of sardonic venom, and on 'No Manana Today' Santa's delicate wit and wisdom finds a neat balance. As a duo, Wild Hares disregard boundary limitations, and, whilst Santa remembers how his grandma used to sleep with Chuck Berry playing on the radio, his partner in music rolls out with exquisite veranda percussion. 'Please Don't Say We're Through' tells of a most unlikely celebration of a divorce, and as in true blues, the song's sadness begets an upbeat tune. 'Everybody Stares' is the next track to face up to misery and contempt. "Nobody cares. Nobody dares." As an epilogue 'What Difference' serves well. On his own, with his guitar, Santa strikes all the right chords. 'Dose' is only a small town home affair but quite universal in theme aand tone.