The Hank Dogs' exceptional 1999 debut had the feel of an opening salvo that would ultimately prove to be the high watermark for the South London trio. With three years passing since its release, one could be forgiven for wondering if the father/daughter/second-wife trio had it in them to recapture the magic of their taut, tense entrée.
Half Smile washes away such doubts from the start. With Piano, the mother of the clan, in the fore, Hank Dogs again serve up a set of songs that are striking in their rich detail and quiet menace ("Now I understand how maybe it's possible/ To want to hurt someone," she intones coolly on "Rise"). Musically, they stick with what's worked for them in the past, building their sound around interweaving acoustic guitars, here fleshed out slightly more than on their initial effort, but far from busy. Very much akin to Kate Rusby, another stunning U.K. folk upstart, this threesome proves the British folk scene is riding a wave that may just now be crashing on faraway shores.
--Steven Stolder Customer Review: Don't bother...
Instrumentally very nice, but the mood is ruined by the singing and stilted lyrics. Pure pablum that doesn't live up to the hype. About as satisfying as light beer.
Customer Review: Best music most people haven't heard
Another superb album, as good as (if not better than) "Bareback". Some of the finest acoustic guitar and mesmerizing harmonies this side of the Moon. Enough said.
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Half Smile 
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