Philadelphia quintet Dr. Dog have been quiet for some time now, to the point where fans may have wondered if they would return in any form. They have not toured since 2021, and that was during their quasi-retirement from the road, where they only played off-shows or weekend stints. It has also been six years since a studio album, and this is from a relatively prolific band that had recorded ten albums over 16 years at the time of their last release, Critical Equation (2018). Out of the void, Dr. Dog have now returned with their engaging, self-titled 11th studio album.
Dr. Dog was produced by Scott McMicken (lead guitar), and this is the first time a group member took the lead on the recording process. It features McMicken, Toby Leaman (bass), Frank McElroy (rhythm guitar), Zach Miller (keyboards), and Eric Slick (drums), who were all asked to follow a different method when creating the record. That included an initial recording of the material with no rehearsal or overdubs, followed by each band member taking the tracks home to enhance them, and it concluded with an editing and recording session at their Philadelphia studio. At this point, Dr. Dog and Matt Ross-Spring (who mixed the LP) finalized each track and laid down their hallmark five-part harmonies. The result is that Dr. Dog finds the band in a groove that will resonate with their most devoted fans and offers heart that would appeal to any hipster with a pulse.
The lead single, “Talk Is Cheap”, written by Leaman about his wife, hits all the marks and is arguably a high-water mark of their entire career. It strikes the balance between R&B and rock, as David Bowie did with Young Americans. The track is pure Motown (disregard the slide whistle), generating passion as it saunters along. Lyrics like “Cause I fell to the bottom and you found me there / Broken and blue, and you gave me air” give the track soul, but the most compelling moment is the bridge where all the voices rise as one.
“Talk Is Cheap” is an enormous feat for Dr. Dog and ultimately distinguishes the album. If the video, directed by Wyndham Garnett, is any indication, they are having a blast, whether it is finding their groove in the studio, goofing around during their downtime, or mushroom hunting in the wild.
Following the jubilation of “Talk Is Cheap”, “What a Night’ll Do” is quite the buzzkill. McMicken’s vocals will appeal to those who have followed the band, but he lacks Leaman’s control. It’s no knock on him, but he struggles at times. He tends to sound like a poor man’s Wayne Coyne, who is no crooner himself. The song is listless and suffers from Hollywood orchestration (and wood block to boot). Despite minor missteps, Dr. Dog easily moves in and out of styles.
Dr. Dog are part of their generation but deliver sounds that hearken back to a different time. That trademark quality was fully realized during arguably their best era, starting with We All Belong (2007) and ending with B-Room (2013). “Authority” has a Cubano flair, “Fine White Lies” could be mistaken for lounge music, “White Dove” channels Bob Dylan, and “Tell Your Friends” is 1970s soft rock in the vein of America. The group trade in musical tropes from the 1950s through the 1970s and somehow remain relevant today.
Dr. Dog deliver on the promise that their influences will range from doo-wop to pastoral, and with McMicken’s production and Ross-Spring’s mix, the album hits sonically. Perhaps the biggest knock is the second phase of the recording process when the musicians added their own flourishes. For that reason, the songs seem to sprout in different directions. Dr. Dog could be nearing a point in their career when the splintering is inevitable. However, critical moments on the record suggest otherwise.
Dr. Dog find their groove on a number of tracks, which is the ultimate takeaway. A song like “Lost Ones” ambles along with a rhythm and blues backbone. “Love Struck” (featuring M. Ward on backing vocals) is a McMicken love letter that is all the better for its loose structure, and the standalone single “Still Can’t Believe” is an end-of-the-night come down in all the best ways. If anything, Dr. Dog have reminded listeners of their presence and the possibility that maybe their best years aren’t yet behind them. It will be hard to replicate their run from the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, but Dr. Dog remain a seminal indie band that are still having fun.