Album Review: "Somewhere Out In California" by Sleeping Dogs (8/10)

Somewhere Out in California • Rock Jett Music • Producer: Paul Miner  • This southern California quintet is composed of alt-rock vets from the bands WANK and Ziggy Marley. They were signed to Maverick Records in 1998 and garnered a modicum of success, and reforming in this format proves they are still up to snuff. Imagine sort of a hard-edged Beatles, with a Green Day-meets-Weezer sensibility. “Tomorrow’s Gonna Suck” is a brash power ballad, while “Encino” features engaging stories and hooks. The songs “No Mercy” and “Let’s Be Friends” feature amusing and clever videos, but the tuneful ska flavors of the former and the pop craftsmanship of the latter are what shine.