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City Beat, Cincinnati OH
July 1996

OVER THE RHINE AND DOWN BY THE RIVER

by Mike Breen

There's a kind of strange sense of irony-- maybe even sweet justice-- in the fact that Over the Rhine's latest CD is some of their best work to date, even though its release comes on the heels of the end of the group's relationship with IRS Records.

The songs on Good Dog Bad Dog: The Home Recordings were culled from the demos that were to serve as sketches for the band's aborted fourth record. The songwriting is absolutely sublime. Even the lower budget recording quality feeds the music well, giving the music a somewhat haunted vibe that's refreshing to hear without any studio tricks. OtR have proven that you don't need a big record label behind you to create valid beautiful art.

The new, self-released disc will be available at the Over the Rhine's "almost free" show-- a $2 voluntary donation will be taken at the gates-- at Sawyer Point on Sunday night at 6pm. (Over the Rhine will take the stage at 8pm.)