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Your Dog by MADANES caught my eye before my ear as the music video is done so well, with a dog and puppet-man amusingly battling for the attentions of a young lady. In truth, the dog steals the show, but the pathos is cleverly portrayed whoever's side you are on.
The song itself is fun, too. I’ve always had a soft spot for material that barks up the wrong emotional tree and Your Dog is a tail-wagging triumph of tragic affection - a musical canine comedy. It’s the kind of track that makes you laugh, wince and wonder if you’ve ever been out-romanced by a Cockapoo?
Your Dog tells the story of a man hopelessly in love with a woman who’s emotionally uninterested, but her dog? That furry fellow is all in - with a paw in every camp. The lyrics are heartbreakingly hilarious: “Your dog, he loves me, more than you will.” Oof. It is never fun to be ignawed (sorry!).
MADANES, an Israel-born, vegan, vinyl-hoarding, melody magician, has a voice that struts somewhere between Elton John’s platform boots, Ian Dury’s pub growl and Frank Zappa’s electric raised-eyebrow. He considers himself the “mainstream of the fringe” and this song goes a long way to prove it. Certainly that fringe has had a sharp but asymmetrical chop.
The video is a riot of awkward longing and tail-wagging wisdom. Sometimes a song is bigger than just a piece of music when the accompanying video is an integral part of the presentation. And this one? It’s a full-blown emotional chew toy with no strings attached. If you’ve ever felt second-best to a little Shih Tzu, this song will kick you right in the nadgers. And as a lead track you’ll love it. Ruffly speaking. Go fetch!