by Steven Douglas LoseyThe Lost Dogs' Real Men Cry serves as a monumental tribute to late Lost Dog Gene Eugene, who passed in 1999. The music offered up on the disc is nothing short of inspiring, with relatable, working-man lyrics steering the ship. Cuts like "A Certain Love" and "Wild Ride" are melodic standouts. Both tunes are reminiscent of the musical and vocal style of Tom Petty. Each song is an up-beat toe-tapper that permeates the soul with a down-home twang while the chorus proves the focal point on both. The track "Gates of Eden" is a straightforward rock gem. The cut boasts the harmonious vocals of Terry Scott Taylor, Mike Roe, and Derri Daugherty, and is the kind of tune only seasoned pros could illuminate. In Lost Dog fashion, the band lays down pure Southern gospel fare on "Three Legged Dog" and "When the Judgment Comes." Both cuts are drenched with slide guitar, accordion, and country tinged guitar leads. Perhaps the disc's most poignant moment comes courtesy of the acoustic-laced "In the Distance." With acoustic guitars as the centerpiece, the band weaves distortion swells, strings, and a military drumbeat into a story of a lost wartime love. The songs vocals are a haunting display of emotions while the chorus proves to be the pinnacle, exhibiting intense vocal harmonies. Real Men Cry is an exercise in apt songwriting and vocal excellence, a release that fills both the soul and the senses with genuine warmth.