3 Legged Dog - 'Frozen Summer'
                                                                                                                                            Released through Perris Records in 2006
THE BAND:
Carlos Cavazo - guitars
Jimmy Bain - bass
Chas West - vocals
Brian Young - guitar
Vinny Appice - drums


TRACK FRAGMENTS:
1.) "Frozen Summer" -The intro to this track opens with both Carlos and Brian paying two different rhythm guitar riffs.  The first rhythm guitar riff was done as more or less a lead guitar effect.  Chas's lead vocal lines along with the way the guys arranged the underling music arrangement was heavily influenced by Pearl Jam.  You can really hear the chemistry between Vinny & Jimmy on this track.  Vinny's drum fill that connect the vocal lines of the verses just blew me away.  One of the things that has always amazed me about the Appice brothers has been their hand and feet work.  The drum tracks on this song are no exception!!!  There is a small lead guitar riff change underneath the vocal line of the chorus.  For the second verse Chas added a small vibrato vocal accents to the lead vocal lines.  It would not surprise me in the least if Carlos had of one this guitar solo.  It just has that Cavazo sound to it.
2.) "Give And Take Away" -This track opens with one of the guitarist playing a rhythm guitar arrangement on electric guitar, with the other guitarist playing the same arrangement acoustically.  By playing this intro this way Brain and Carlos were able to set the depth of the song.  Giving it a real full sound.  The band use the same musical arrangement as the intro for the opening pre-verse.  Vinny opened the mufflers of his bass and toms so that his drum sound would have a hollow ring to it.  This really added to the depth of the arrangements sound.  The chorus was very laid back getting it's heavy sound from Vinny and Jimmy.  There is a minor lead guitar solo underneath the third chorus.  This minor lead guitar solo turns into a major twin lead guitar solo after the vocal lines of the chorus.     
3.) "Rain On My Parade" - This track opens with a very simple rhythm guitar riff over the top of a Bain bass line.  The band kept the same rhythm guitar riff of the intro for the verse.  Vinny's hand and foot work between hi-hat and bass drum was amazing!  There is a small lead guitar riff that connects the verse to the chorus.  The bass drum change of the chorus was completely unexpected.  Listening to this track closely the song goes through several dynamic mood changes, showing why the individual band members have been in the music business for over twenty years.  There is no doubt the little lead licks underneath the outro chorus was performed by Carlos.         
4.) "One Good Reason" -This track opens with a Vinny drum intro.  I have followed Vinny's career for many years now.  In fact, everything I learned about drum etiquette I learned from either him or his older brother Carmine.  This is one of the few Vinny drum intro's I have heard were you can actually hear a tip of the hat to his older bro.  The rhythm guitar riffs that lead into the verse have a abstract Quiet Riot feel.  Call it what you will but Chas's vocal accents of this track especially through the chorus have a Kevin DuBrow feel.  After the third chorus there was a minor lead guitar solo that leads into a complete music change.   
5.) "Wasted Life" -The bass line made this intro arrangement.  In the way the guys arranged the verse it sounds like it is coming at you for multiple directions.  There is a minor lead guitar solo that connects the first chorus to the second verse.  Brian and Carlos's guitar riffs have a very intense sound to them.  There was a small harmonica section leading into the last chorus. 
6.) "Long Way Back From Hell" -This track opens with a Vinny drum fill.  Over the top of the short intro section there was a small lead guitar effect.  The lyric line opens with the title of the song making you think it will be the chorus.  Scattered throughout the lyric lines are little vocal hooks.  In the way the band plays their individual arrangements gives the song a very intense feel.   Over the top of the breakdown section there is a almost whispered spoken Chas vocal line. 
7.) "Left For Dead" -Both rhythm guitar tracks of this intro have a seventies rock 'n' roll feel to them.  Jimmy's bass line underneath the rhythm guitar tracks just blew me away!!!  As Chas sings the vocal lines build with power.  Carlos and Brian wrote a very solid rhythm guitar groove for this track.  Jimmy's bass line made this track.  Though this track was very simple in structure it has a very huge hook and shows the individual experience of it's members.
8.) "Bring The Hammer Down" - This track opens with probably the meanest sounding rhythm guitar riff I have heard in a very long time.  Through most of the intro Vinny just barely taps on the hi-hat, this was a very strange, yet effective sound.  Over the top of the intro section leading into the verse there is a very simple lead guitar licks.  Chas's vocal arrangements of the verses are laced with a Lane Staley of Alice in Chains accent.  Vinny plays more drum fills on this track than the he does probably on the entire CD.  The musical arrangement underneath the chorus had a garage band sound to it.  After the first chorus Vinny changes the musical arrangement to a sixteenth-note hi-hat pattern.  There is a minor lead guitar solo after the first chorus.  The rhythm change underneath the lead guitar solo had a very abstract feel to it. 


    If you are a fan of hard rock or heavy metal then the names Vinny Appice (which is actually pronounced A-PEACH-e) and Jimmy Bain are house hold names.  Not long after Jimmy made the decision to leave Dio, he contacted his good friend and former band mate Vinny Appice about working on a project together.  After hearing Chas West former vocalist of Bonham and Brian Young of the David Lee Roth band the earth shattering foundation of the band was set.  While laying down preliminary rehearsal tracks Vinny asked Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Carvazo to lay down a few lead guitar tracks.  It did not take long for the guys to make Carlos a fulltime member.  A little inside 3 Legged information: I recently spoke with Vinny who told me, he originally contacted Edward Van Halen about doing the lead guitar work.  
    3 Legged Dog oozes with talent, that's a gimmie!  Vinny, Jimmy, Brain, Carlos and Chas stripped these songs down to the bare necessities of rock 'n' roll. with that being said, do not expect the huge drum fills your use to hearing from Vinny.  For the drum tracks Vinny took a page from his older brother Carmine and concentrates more on rhythm than fills.  Which was very cool because it shows that there is more to Vinny than huge drum fills.  If you are a fan of any of the past groups these guys have played with then this CD is a must have!