Dogwood

    Dogwood

    Escondido, California16 reviews across 5 releases

    melodic hardcorepop punkpower popskate punk
    Discogs

    Dogwood formed in Escondido, California, in 1993, first playing as Half-Off before adopting its later name. The band worked within Christian punk's fast, melodic strain, with sharp guitar figures, choppy drumming and Josh Kemble's rough yet tuneful vocals. Its lyrics addressed racism, personal struggle and direct Christian conviction without softening the language. The independent Dogwood retained the band's earlier urgency, while More Than Conquerors moved toward a tighter pop-punk sound after signing with Tooth & Nail Records in 1999. Building a Better Me added acoustic passages and broader subjects, including broken homes and wartime violence, while keeping the distorted guitars and rapid tempos. Reviewers also noted that the band treated its albums as connected works rather than simple collections of fast songs.

    Sean O'Donnell left Dogwood in 2001 and went on to form Reeve Oliver, a San Diego rock band that moved further from punk. He later returned as producer for Seismic, on which Daniel Montoya played guitar; the record kept Dogwood's abrasive vocals but used fewer high-speed songs and leaned more heavily toward hardcore. Tooth & Nail issued the compilation Reverse, Then Forward Again in 2004. Dogwood's touring became sporadic after 2006, partly as Kemble and guitarist Danny Montoya became fathers, and the band played what appeared to be its final show in October 2011. Kemble later said there had been no formal breakup. Dogwood reunited for shows in January 2017, then played another reunion show in March 2018.

    5 releases reviewed