Review- Reilly Downes: Dog Days
Have you heard of Reilly Downes? The Chicago-based badass just put her own spin on “Dog Days,” a cut originally sung by local favorites DEHD (Dream Eagles Heavy Dreams), an American three-piece Indie rock band from Chicago formed in 2015. When I asked her what drew her to the song, she told me: “I love their music, and wanted to make the song mine while introducing this band to certain music communities who might not know them because it’s not on their specific genre radar. DEHD rules.”
Reilly’s cover flips the track on its head in the best way. “Dog Days” digs into a DEHD deep cut and rebuilds it with smoky vocals, and a slow-burn rock & roll vibe, but with a sharp Americana edge. The original has that hazy, drifting vibe—like you’re caught in a sun-bleached Indie music video circa 2007. Reilly’s cut? It’s the caffeinated cousin: punchier, bolder, buzzing with a kind of late-summer energy that makes you want to roll the windows down and shout along. With her Americana edge woven in, “Dog Days” feels like the perfect soundtrack for those summer nights when the heat seems heavy, but you don’t mind, because you don’t really want summer to end.
The new single drops everywhere on August 30—perfect timing to crank it up for the final stretch of summer. You haven’t heard the last of Reilly though, keep on the lookout for her sophomore album. She’s in the process of recording it with executive production by fellow artist, Jaime Wyatt.
Find out more about Reilly at the links below:
