K.Flay – Life as a Dog

A Dog, but not a B…

After ten years of releasing EPs, mix tapes and appearing on video game soundtracks, K.Flay’s official debut album Life as a Dog sees the light of day. In spite of a lengthy dispute with RCA Records, K.Flay crowd-funded this opus and released it via Bummer Picnic Records revealing an album that she wanted to make instead of losing creative control and not being satisfied with the end product. 44 minutes and 11 songs later, Life as a Dog is definitely an album its maker should be proud of.

Of the 11 songs present, it’s hard to pinpoint a bad moment. K.Flay doesn’t rely on cliche rap troupes, but instead delivers an interesting mix of hip-hop and indie rock that blurs the lines of traditional labels. “Wishing it Was You” is the age-old tale of unrequited love with the bite of a wounded wolf. Daydreaming of weddings and living arrangements float over a spacey beat that starts off slow and soft but builds up until it can no longer be contained and explodes, similar to the feelings of the storyteller. This song also contains one of the best choruses ever: “Sucking on a bottle of Jim Bean/Wishing it was you.”

“Turn It Around” is a song about optimism. Built around a beat reminiscent of the Sneaker Pimps, K.Flay shows she’s not just a emcee, but one hell of a songstress as well. Throughout the album, K.Flay’s voice floats between rapping and singing. At times the two are almost inseparable. This idea isn’t new; in fact, as of late it has been done over and over, but in K.Flay’s case it sound unlike anything else. 

Life as a Dog is what a debut album should look like. Each song can stand on its own merits and easily be released as a single. The level of quality stays consistent throughout. K.Flay is a force to be reckoned with and given time will definitely be the leader of the pack.