Boogie rock and Balearic grooves seep from the gaps between the boards of a rickety farm in upstate New York. Inside, brothers Rich and Rob fuse 19th century murder ballads, blue eyed Funk and Southern Rock into five minute pool side anthems.
The Kwait brothers like the vibes that come with writing and recording in rural log cabins. The Cabin Dogs formed their style travelling the mountains from Vermont to Tennessee for some ten years before the Kwaits decided to stay closer to home - urban Philadelphia - and build a cabin right in Rich’s backyard.
After a writing trip into the New York woods they settled down home and just jammed. ‘We didn’t feel the pressure to outjam the jam bands or out-indie the indie rock bands,’ quips Rich. ‘Or go into total singer songwriter route. We felt sort of in our own world.’
The result are some ultra relaxed, elastic grooves that sound more like they come from London’s Kingsland Road or a beach jam on Ibiza than downtown Philly. From the chilled sunset/sunrise soundtrack of ‘Dark Moon - Sunrise’, over ‘Lansing Groove’ to the feel-good 70’s pastiche ‘Bloom’- The Cabin Dogs hijack that party train and run it right over you.
Listen To ‘Bloom’ Here!
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When they take it back a notch or two, you can hear that the Kwait brothers originally earned their dues playing sombre Americana influenced tunes on the festival circuit, featuring at institutions like the Newport Folk Festival, Apple Farm, Full Circle and more. The jangly Bob Dylan cover ‘New Morning’ showcases that folky side of the Cabin Dogs.
Listen Here To The Dylan Cover ‘New Morning’
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As a whole, ‘Midnight Trail’ is a highly entertaining musical joyride bouncing between hedonistic party grooves and folky remorse - Like Jeckyll and Hyde fighting over control of the stereo.
Now Watch The Cabin Dogs Perform ‘Twilight’