Review Summary: Dr. Dog XI: Return of the Dog
Dr. Dog are the posterchildren of dependability. Their blend of modernized 60s psych-rock and Wilco-esque ruggedness has yielded one solid-to-very good album after another. Yet, despite being at the helm for more than two decades, there still isn’t a single record of theirs that you can point to and definitively identify it as their “classic moment”. Their self-titled eleventh album is no threat to break the streak, but the good news is that it easily resides within the upper echelon of releases to Dr. Dog’s name – making it worth a listen for any and all fans of genre.
Dr. Dog immediately establishes itself as one of the liveliest and most polished releases in the band’s catalog. ‘Authority’ and ‘Lost Ones’ take driving, percussively oriented indie-rock and marry those tendencies to sugary pop melodies. ‘Fat Dog’ adds gorgeous, solemn strings to the mix. ‘Talk is Cheap’ features layered vocal harmonies in the most ridiculously infectious fashion possible. What listeners will unearth as they spin
Dr. Dog a few times is that the entire affair is sprinkled with an array of dazzling accents: jaunty pianos, glistening chimes, dancing strings, and enthralling horns. The result is an experience with several sonic layers – one that is both immediately satisfying and conducive to future growth.
Even when
Dr. Dog slows down the tempo, such as on the swaying, forlorn, doo-wop styled balladry of ‘What a Night’ll Do’ – or the bluesy, Pink Floyd adjacent psychedelia of ‘Still Can’t Believe’ – the band still seems on top of their game. The aforementioned instrumental variety is a big reason for that, as is the top-tier production, but
Dr. Dog also stands as one of the band’s most well-crafted set of songs – a quality for which there really is no substitute. The songwriting is dynamic and unfolds seamlessly, taking the album in a variety of directions that all feel organic and worth exploring. On some prior Dr. Dog releases, the band would deliver their slate of highlights but then allow large swaths of the record to blend into a forgettable haze. That’s not the case here, as
Dr. Dog essentially delivers eleven straight indie-rock gems. It’s no wonder they chose to stake their name to this album.
By the end of the experience, we’re left with what is likely the best Dr. Dog album in nearly a decade and a half. Longtime fans can decipher where it falls in relation to
Fate,
We All Belong, or
Easy Beat – all of which might maintain an edge due to their lo-fi charm and the natural effect of nostalgia – but it’s worth noting that
Dr. Dog stands on the shoulders of the band’s other modern efforts. If it’s quality indie-rock you’re seeking, then this is an album that you simply shouldn’t overlook. Dr. Dog is back.
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