Dag cooks up Southern-fried funk

(Note: The term "funky" will be used extensively in describing Dag.)

Dag's sound might best be described as a "funky amalgamation." Lead singer Bobby Patterson's vocal style is one part Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, two parts (the artist formerly known as) Prince, with a pinch of Larry Blackmon and a twist of Lenny Kravitz thrown in for good measure.

In Dag's rhythm section, one can hear the influence of Bootsy Collins and Parliament, Fred Wesley, the SOS band and the Ohio players.

The result creeps and bumps through 13 tracks on Dag's new Colombia records release, "Righteous."

Dag's style is a blend of the conventions of funk music with the conventions of guitar-centralized Southern rock. The result is beautifully unconventional.

While Dag isn't the first rock group to experiment with this funk-plus-rock recipe, the emphasis placed on the soul/funk aspect of the assimilation sets Dag apart from groups like The Black Crowes. And the self-assurance with which Dag carries off the rock/funk marriage makes the listener as comfortable with the cross-cultural experiment as the musicians obviously are.

And because the North Carolina natives are able to carry it off, "Righteous" achieves something beyond mere aesthetic success. It erodes a few of the cultural and social barriers that have become almost obligatory in popular music's recent past. "Righteous" proudly proclaims its diverse family tree, without apology and without didactic posturing.

Cultural de-segregation aside, "Righteous" is simply fun to listen to. The lyrics are at once thoughtful and playful. The chorus of the fifth cut, "Home," typifies Dag's simple eloquence. "If you feel/That you can be you/Then you're there/You're home."

A little later, Dag expounds upon the virtues of oral sex in the maintenance of domestic bliss in "You Can Lick It (If You Try)," and remains true to its rural roots, offering assistance with off-season crop maintenance in the appropriately titled "Plow:" "In the winter time/You can come to me/(And we will)/Plow.

Dag draws upon a rich Southern musical tradition, and make full use of the cultural boon that was the (ha ha) 1970s. Best of all, they ignore the racial barriers contemporary music seems to so enthusiastically cotton to. Dag makes use of pleasing sounds with passion and without prejudice.