“Tale of a Dead Dog” starts with a fantastic folk riff. An eerie echo to the vocals is not given the chance to warn of impending doom because the lyrics are dark from the very first line. As the “cold, left for the sun to corrode” carcass of the deceased dog pushes us closer to either depression or a psychedelic trip, the drum-clouds lift and light shines through.
The sudden warm rush is an abrupt halt to the slippery slope the intro teases. On the verge of entering a downward spiral akin to Johnny Cash’s epic rendition of “Hurt,” while simultaneously dancing with a Lewbowski-esque breakdown in the form of Kenny Rogers’ “Just Dropped In,” a well-placed cymbal smash throws back the curtains to reveal something much more align with The Who’s “Sparks.” Consider the Bowie-like cover art of the LP and you have one eclectic artist.
Diane Coffee is the solo project of Shaun Fleming, the former Disney voice actor turned Foxygen drummer. The talented musician wrote Diane Coffee’s debut in a New York apartment while under the weather. Perhaps a high fever, cabin fever, or both generated such ranging writing styles. Whether due to sickness or the diverse career path, Fleming’s post-cymbal vocals emerge from the darkness to float peacefully over classic acoustic guitar and make even a track titled “Tale of a Dead Dog” quite enjoyable.