1990 found the Dogs D'Amour picking their whiskey-soaked bodies up from out of the gutter to enter the studio with another collection of romantic hobo tunes. If life truly did reflect art, leader Tyla would no doubt stumble in, his hair an unkempt mess and his clothes in tatters (but still looking smashing!!!), then hunch over his guitar, take a swig of Jack, light a fag, and get it all down on tape in one take. And while the songs on
Straight??!! generally replicate the formula of the previous year's Errol Flynn, one has to at least give the band credit for naming it in such a tongue-in-cheek manner. Still, "Kiss My Heart Goodbye," "Back on the Juice," and the re-worked "Heroine" are prime examples of the Dogs at their best (or their worst, as it were). Serious fans will know what to expect, but the uninitiated should probably steer clear. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia