«Beware of the dogs» Stella Donnelly (English Version)

Beware of the dogs
Artist: Stella Donnelly
Year: 2019
Secretly Canadian
Score: 8.8

Stella Donnelly is a Young and powerful voice that fills any room when played. Her songs have a vintage feel thanks to the clean and warm tones on guitars, a colorful and child-like use of keyboards and her flirty way of singing accompanied by a fast and unique vibrato.

But Stella is no rag doll to be played with. In her mid 20’s she’s a complete woman, aware of how diffuse it can be to pursue your own identity in this present times where, even if women have gain more terrain in the global scheme, we still witness the challenges faced by those who fight for gender equality and minority groups rights.

Beware of the dogs it’s a confrontative album from a young perspective that doesn’t agree with half-assed efforts, but above all else, it’s an intense search for personal acknowledgment which gives Stella Donnelly a universal and timeless reach.

This record opens up with “Old man” and what a way to start! Don’t be fooled by the playful sound, Stella Donnelly has a lot to say about being a woman today with this hymn to those who abuse of a fake “power of authority” and paints the picture perfectly in the first verse: “He’s reading sport on the news / White man, white theet in a suit/ he’s got that style”

This track marks from the very beginning the strong message about the active fight towards female equality and security on the work and artistic environment.

“Mosquito” it’s a song with a dreamy atmospheric sound that goes along with its semi-love theme, not quite optimism and apparently a“crush” song. With a very colloquial sense, I think Stella Donnelly achieves a beautiful contemporary track that’s also relatable to anyone.

The vibe turns a little Christmassy with “Season’s greetings” where the nuclear family is put on the spot. A reliable image of the awkwardness that a vast majority experience when the holydays arrive and even though you’re visiting home you don’t feel like you belong anymore.

“Allergies” it’s a classic break up song in which we can hear Stella’s voice choke a little along with a running nose, fact that she explained in an interview with Apple music saying that she had gone through a break up the very day she recorded that song – “it’s not perfect. Some bits are shaky but in terms of getting across that mood and that truth, I wouldn’t change anything”

The album gets back to joyful with “Tricks”, where she takes a moment to have fun and laugh about those people who have been very demanding of her pleasing the audience instead of the audience letting themselves be pleased by the artist.

Right away “Boys will be boys” appears as a powerful bubble bursting song with a clear message, sexual abuse can’t be blamed on the victim anymore, and the purpose it’s to keep talking about it in order to stop this topic from being in the shadows.

In “Lunch” she talks about her difficulty to go out on tour and how she misses home even before taking off. If it wasn’t enough, the complex situation about long distance relationships is also thrown into the mix which is complemented with “Bistro”, where she explores how hard it’s to maintain such feelings and commitments.

“Die” it’s a track that has a more electro/pop wave; it’s pretty juvenile but make no mistake, it got its “eyes set to kill” and doesn’t falls behind in comparison with the intensity of previews tracks. Also reminds me a lot of The Drums especially the song “Money” since I believe the theme it’s quite similar.

“Beware of the dogs” It’s a powerful soft-rock ballad that breaks with the pop wave that had been present in the last couple of tracks. Surrounded by symbolism in its lyrics, I consider this for the personal interpretation. To me, this songs reflects the catastrophic consequences of not standing up for yourself and not asking to be respected. This song comes as a counterpart to “Tricks” were Stella says “I’m in control of myself” where here she admits it wasn’t always like that.

In “U owe me” Stella comes out as a folk singer/songwriter to tell an awful experience she had with an ex-boss, loaded with an expansive reverb that fills the room. From a day-to-day event she skips to a denser topic in “Watching telly”, a song full of feminist ideals and support for gay marriage. Stella uses her stage to keep on bringing discomfort to some and giving voice to many more who have been silenced.

To bring it all to an end, she decides to change gears and let her guard down in “Face it”, where after all tiring struggle with family, break ups, work and the constant search for identity, Stella reflects on the weariness that comes with it, and it that very moment of fragility, comes to her mind that special someone that helps her stay grounded whenever she sinks in her thoughts.