Louis XIV's Powerful Sophomore Release

The release of Louis XIV’s sophomore LP Slick Dogs and Ponies on Jan. 29 was met with much anticipation. SD&P exhibits a new flavor of the band’s seedy underworld with (for the most part) less of the overtly sexual undertones found in their debut—while establishing an even darker brooding penchant for lowdown sleaze and grime. Without losing the plodding crunch of their distinctive guitar tones, Jason Hill and company adopt a fuller sound with heavier incorporation of the stringed orchestrations found in The Best Little Secrets Are Kept. Despite the lack of a truly notable single approaching either “Finding Out True Love Is Blind” or “God Killed The Queen” off TBLSAK, standout tracks like “There’s A Traitor In This Room” and the soft “Hopesick” nonetheless serve to indicate a positive evolution for the boys. A cover of the Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” is also interesting. Slick Dogs and Ponies presents great progress from the hooligans you know and love.