Listen: Twain - "Little Dog Mind"

photo by Nina Westervelt

Last month Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Twain released "Solar Pilgrim", the first single from his upcoming album Rare Feeling. If I hadn't had the privilege of seeing him perform several of the tracks live the strength of the single would've been enough to make me deeply invested in the album. With the album release getting closer Mat Davidson has released "Little Dog Mind", the studio version of a song Davidson did for La Blogotheque that I stumbled upon after I first saw him last year when he was still firming up album details.

On "Little Dog Mind", Davidson turns his focus inward. Instead of ruminating on love like much of Life Labors in the Choir or wondering what lies ahead of him in the future/the afterlife on "Solar Pilgrim", Davidson tries to wrangle his wandering thoughts. It's a pretty universal feeling: catching your mind drifting to other things when you want to/have to focus on the task at hand and one that Davidson is probably intimately familiar with when he's trying to write songs. So he hashes it out with the offending party much like you might try to reason with a child or the song's titular "little dog mind". Davidson, who's probably best characterized by/as the heart, almost playfully chides the mind. He's aware he's in control but his method of authority is winsome persuasion: "You're just like a little dog running away from me/little mind I'll catch you every time" Davidson sings and it's sure to put a smile on your face. Davidson manages a beautiful balance of emotion and charm with an invigorating display of songwriting prowess that both utilizes and subverts typical conventions.



Twain's sixth album Rare Feeling is out October 20th on Keeled Scales. You can pre-order the limited hand-printed vinyl from Keeled Scales now and other editions (digital, CD, cassette) will be available on the release date. Twain is also playing several dates with Langhorne Slim later this week so make sure you catch him if you can.

9/26 NYC - Bowery Ballroom
9/27 Washington, D.C. - Sixth & I
9/28 Philly - Union Transfer