New Orleans-based Conor Donohue has a penchant for eschewing specific genre classification, dealing instead in a smorgasbord of pop, indie, rock, electronic, and country, all basted in a vague Americanaesque vibe. The songs on his third album, Stray Dogs, appear to be from a storied life, one keen on picking up observations and redigesting them into an art form. The execution here appeals to the everyperson, with relatable lyrics that play with cliches both earnestly and ironically. There’s also a communal essence to proceedings, with long-time collaborators Tyler Ross on lap steel, Ron Wiltrout on drums, and George Barraeis on bass fleshing out Donohue’s folkish yarns.
Producers Joel T. Hamilton and Emily Eck also add to the project in numerous ways. Hamilton’s relationship with Donohue goes back to 2011, when the pair penned “Elephants”, a track they’ve revisited on, Stray Dogs, thirteen years later, producing a dreamy psychedelic folk song that’s as innocently fun as it is shaker-heavy. It’s a well-intentioned song (“We take our mistakes and turn them into love”), and its positive mood shines through. Eck, on the other hand, lends sonic trickery via reversed Wurlitzer on “Shape Of Your Hand”, a saccharine tune (“I’ll always love you through thick and thin”) that redeems itself with a jovial jauntiness, exotic slide guitar, and Eck’s hallucinogenic keys.