Album Review: Stella Donnelly, 'Beware Of The Dogs'

The follow-up to her EP Thrush Metal, Beware Of The Dogs excellently showcases Stella Donnelly’s prowess as a musician and lyricist. Throughout the album, the Australian singer uses her impressive vocal range and sharp intellect to deliver honest, witty and sometimes confrontational numbers. These tunes powerfully address important subjects like sexual assault and victim blaming.

On ‘Old Man’, Donnelly sings, “Oh, are you scared of me, old man?/ Or are you scared of what I’ll do?/ You grabbed me with an open hand/ The world is grabbing back at you”. Meanwhile, the piercing guitars – reminiscent of Real Estate – elevate her voice without overshadowing it.

Stella Donnelly covers a lot of ground on the album – thematically, tonally and otherwise. Whether she’s lamenting a past relationship or calling out injustice, her infectious lyrical flow carries every track. Other stand-out moments include ‘Die’, ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ and ‘Mosquito’, with each tune revealing a different side to her uncompromising artistic vision. Highly recommended.

Out now.

8/10