The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear

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The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear
Studio album by
Kelly Hogan
Released1996
GenreCountry rock, torch songs
LabelLong Play[1]
ProducerKelly Hogan (coproducer)
Kelly Hogan chronology
The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear
(1996) 		Beneath the Country Underdog
(2000)

The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear is the debut album by the musician Kelly Hogan, released in 1996.[2][3] Vic Chesnutt said that Hogan's version of his song "Soft Picasso" was his favorite of the many covers of his songs, despite it not appearing on Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation.[4]

Production[edit]

Hogan wrote just two of the album's 15 songs; she cowrote others with former Jody Grind bandmate Bill Taft.[5][6] The album includes covers of Toussaint McCall's "Nothing Takes the Place of You", Vic Chesnutt's "Soft Picasso", and Palace Brothers' "King Me".[7] The album was recorded in Atlanta, and coproduced by Hogan.[8]

"All is Well" is about the death of Robert Hayes, one of the two Jody Grind bandmembers killed in a 1992 car accident.[9]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Chicago Tribune[10]

Trouser Press called The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear "a casual and sincere record that presents [Hogan] as a versatile, confident, personable singer and ... songwriter."[11] Rolling Stone wrote that "Hogan casts her luscious phrasing against sinewy guitars that often jut out or distort, enriching the groove... The music rocks with the agility of mini-Morricone soundtracks."[12] The Chicago Tribune determined that "Hogan has every bit of the showboating vocal power of a Whitney or an Alanis; the difference is she knows how to sculpt a song and build a moment rather than simply flatten it."[10]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution stated: "Juxtaposing ballads and romps, slick countryfied guitar licks and low-fi ruckus, Whistle resists settling into too steady a groove."[13] The San Jose Mercury News' Claudia Perry listed the album as the sixth best of 1996, writing that, "while the likes of Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) and Shirley Manson (Garbage) were hogging media attention, Hogan made an album of girl talk about trouble and love that blows any of those young carpers out of the water."[14] Miami New Times, in 1999, considered the album to be "one of the great overlooked long-players of the past few years."[15]

AllMusic called the album "an eclectic collection of country-tinged torch songs and down-tempo rockers that highlight her warm, brassy voice."[5]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Dirty vs. Clean" 
2."Waiting" 
3."Arms" 
4."Do Right" 
5."Soft Picasso" 
6."Lucky Nights" 
7."Dirtclod" 
8."Map" 
9."I Am Getting Better." 
10."Nothing Takes the Place of You" 
11."The Idea of You" 
12."King Me" 
13."Feel Good Hit" 
14."Blue Magic" 
15."All Is Well" 

References[edit]

  1. ^ Faulkner, Mark (31 July 1996). "Kelly Hogan has a voice that we all should hear". The Florida Times-Union. p. D2.
  2. ^ "Kelly Hogan Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Kelly Hogan: Sing 'Em If You Got 'Em". Magnet. January 14, 2013.
  4. ^ Hoekstra, Dave (August 9, 1998). "Hogan sings bittersweet survivor's song". Showcase. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 7.
  5. ^ a b c "Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Morris, Chris (Feb 24, 1996). "Flag Waving". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 8. p. 49.
  7. ^ "Kelly Hogan – The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear". No Depression. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Kelly Hogan". Perfect Sound Forever.
  9. ^ Kot, Greg (5 July 1996). "No Basket Case". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. N.
  10. ^ a b Kot, Greg (30 May 1996). "Kelly Hogan Proves Her Amazing Range". Chicago Tribune. p. 9B.
  11. ^ "Jody Grind". Trouser Press. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  12. ^ Hunter, James (Sep 5, 1996). "The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear". Rolling Stone. No. 742. p. 65.
  13. ^ Dollar, Steve (14 Apr 1996). "Cabbagetown Diva: Tragedy behind her, Kelly Hogan takes steps to showcase that mercurial voice". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. p. L1.
  14. ^ Perry, Claudia (December 25, 1996). "A Musical Top 10 from '96". San Jose Mercury News. p. 12E.
  15. ^ Floyd, John (January 7, 1999). "Rotations". Music. Miami New Times.
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