Dr. Dog – ‘Dr. Dog’ album review: rock music at its most forgettable
THE SKINNY: Despite rock encompassing many wildly differing sounds and continuing to expand its borders over the years, some groups neither fit in with the zeigeist nor provide any real dose of entertainment, two things often described as opposites. If it’s not boundary-pushing, at least it’s fun, is a common trail of thought when discussing contemporary music’s worth. Unfortunately, with their new self-titled album, Philadelphia institution Dr. Dog fail to fit into either camp, and find themselves wandering the wilds of the rock landscape with other unwanted stragglers, most of whom will be swept up by the winds of time.
Let’s be clear: this is not a terrible album. Simply, it is so bland that you want to poke your eyes out. While the production and songwriting are undoubtedly accomplished, it seldom provides moments that leave a minuscule lasting mark on the listener. Due to the laid-back and largely maudlin nature of many of the songs – which don’t do anything we’ve never heard before – you often find yourself heading straight to press skip, and sometimes even worse, to slam the off button and save yourself from this frustrating inertia.
It’s the kind of thing you might break a cheerful smile at if you happened to stroll past the group playing on a raised stage in the centre of town during the summer months, but if you decided to stop and watch, you’d be swiftly moving on from it and needing a coffee as a pick me up. Think acoustic guitar, beard and Birkenstocks. Sure, some people will like this record, but I wouldn’t think many would honestly say they’d love it. It brings absolutely zero to any conversation, and by three songs in you’ve heard enough. It’s a pale imitation of Critical Equation; worse still, it’s a pale imitation over six years on.
In 2021, Dr. Dog announced their retirement from touring but maintained they were not disbanding. The new album makes you wonder whether that decision was wise.
For fans of: Mountain Warehouse, M&S Cashmere jumpers, and marrying your boring high school sweetheart.
A concluding comment from my housemate: “Reminds me of my Year 11 Geography teacher in some intangible but visceral way.”
Dr. Dog track by track:
Release Date: July 19th | Producer: Scott McMicken | Label: We Buy Gold Records
‘Authority’: Despite being a nostalgia-laced number, this is neither nothing fresh nor entertaining, and within the first 30 seconds, you’re already bored. The brass at the end is nice, though. [2/5]
‘Lost Ones’: A shimmering number with a warm bassline and choral group vocals, it again does nothing to get the listener going and finds itself deep in the belly of rock’s most beige area. It has to be said that the spacey solo section is well-executed and is undoubtedly the highlight. [2/5]
‘Fat Dog’: Opening with a funky groove and celestial strings, this third stop is one of the catchiest on the record. However, broadly speaking, we’ve heard this kind of music many times before, and it fails to leave any enduring impression. [2/5]
‘Talk is Cheap’: Evoking aspects of 1970s soul, while the production on this stop is accomplished, as it is throughout the album, it doesn’t do anything spectacular. It is made for a middle-of-the-road music festival for middle-agers and their annoying 12-year-olds. [2/5]
‘What a Night’ll Do’: Commencing with beautiful swooning strings, as we head into the middle of the album Dr. Dog really bring things down. A cinematic, lighters-in-the-air moment, it has aspects of a rock opera, but absolves itself on anything truly compelling. [2/5]
‘Tell Your Friends’: Another more direct moment imbued with a blue, reflective edge; the chords and melodies are nice, but that is it. Nothing to write home about. [2/5]
‘Still Can’t Believe’: Yet another slow composition, this one crawls at a snail’s pace, as the orchestral flecks weave in and out, and the group vocals finally become slightly more assertive in melody and delivery. Perfect for a heartbroken drive. [3/5]
‘Fine White Lies’: A stoned effort, with reverb-drenched backing vocals and a narcotic beat, it speaks to the dreamy, more experimental soul numbers produced in the late 1960s, and is certainly one of the better moments on the new record. [3/5]
‘White Dove’: A more rock-oriented offering, it has a bit of a doo-wop vibe and contains yet another strong whiff of melancholy. We’ve heard this type of track in many different forms over the years, and it adds nothing to the party here. [1.5/5]
‘Handyman’: By this point, Dr. Dog has worn thin long ago. The penultimate stop might be slightly meditative with its repetitive strums and psychedelic feel, but now I am struggling to stay awake. [2.5/5]
‘Love Struck’: The best way to describe this song is a cereal advert. A twee beat, the country hums of the strings and banjo, and cheesy group vocals all add to a song that is so middle of the road and indeed forgettable that I wouldn’t be surprised if Special K or Reddy Brek picked it up for one of their sunny marketing campaigns. [1.5/5]
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