The Dog Hill Mission:
The Dog Hill mission is to share great music with anyone who will listen. That has been its goal since 2009 when it started life as an internet (and later FM) radio show. Today Dog Hill Music aims to bring you the best of rock and roll, blues, jazz, soul/R&B, old-school country, Americana, and cajun/zydeco. Whether it’s through a review of a new album or a vinyl reissue, a profile of a lost gem, or a feature article, my hope is to share what I’ve learned as a DJ, musician, and obsessive record collector and music fanatic.
Music Review Philosophy:
There’s more good music to write about than I could cover in a dozen lifetimes. So on Dog Hill I’m focusing only on music I’m excited to share. If a record is included on Dog Hill it means that I enjoyed it and think it’s worth a listen—nobody needs to read my rants about a record I disliked. That doesn’t mean every Dog Hill review is a complete rave. I offer critiques of particular aspects even if my overall thoughts are positive. Dog Hill reviews don’t have numerical ratings, but my favorite releases are designated and tagged as “Top Dogs.” These are the records I’d want to have if I were marooned on a desert island (an island equipped with a sound system of course).
Equipment and Sound Quality Reviews:
Although the music always comes first at Dog Hill, I also review equipment and the sound quality of particular releases because both impact listening enjoyment. Since both of those topics involve consumer advice on something that is not entirely subjective like the music itself, I will sometimes offer negative reviews on equipment or a particular piece of media (for example, a specific vinyl pressing that is poorly done). I do not pretend to be an audio engineer (math, yikes!) and I don’t have the reference-level sound system of the true audiophile (maybe someday), so for now I offer my perspective as an avid music consumer who wants things to sound as good a possible given these limitations. Unless otherwise noted, all vinyl records reviewed on Dog Hill are auditioned on a Clearaudio Concept AiR turntable paired with a Clearaudio Smart Phono V2 preamp, a Cambridge CXA60 amplifier, and Triangle Borea BR03 speakers.
Dog Hill Music 