Dr. Dog, a rock band with a strong classic feel, recalls the AM rockers of the 70s in their straight ahead, melodic rock. Like a lot of those groups, they fill out their sound with piano and other assorted instruments, giving a band of grandeur to otherwise uncomplicated music. I don’t say uncomplicated as an insult, this is a great disk for people who are looking for a sound that’s largely disappeared from mainstream radio and most of indie music. If you told me this album was recorded in 1975, I wouldn’t argue with you, and I think that’s a compliment.
While I love a lot of what hip hop and synth pop have brought to music, it is refreshing to hear a band that can do it like they used to. Yes, there’s an element of conservatism in working in a style that’s largely vanished from the mainstream, but there’s a lot of bands out there, and not everyone needs to be an innovator. The band draws on a wide enough variety of sounds and styles that it remains fresh throughout.
“My Old Ways” is an uptempo pop song that harmonizes in a way that would make the Beach Boys proud. Throughout, the band uses backing vocals to fill out the songs, a touch that helps make them special. The interplay between the ascending bass line and the “Aahhhh” backup vocals on “Keep a Friend” is what makes the song work. “The Girl” also uses a strong bassline and vocal harmonizing as the structuring element, though this time with a heavier, driving feel.
My major issue with this album is the texture of the sound. I’m not sure if it was an issue with the recording or a deliberate choice, but everything sounds like it was taped off a cassette and then put onto the CD. There’s a layer of haze over the recording, and that makes it much tougher to get into the songs. Buried under the haze, a lot of the songs blend together. That kind of fuzzy sound can work for a band like The Jesus and Mary Chain, but I don’t think that’s the intention here. It’s either a misguided production choice or a case of poor recording.
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