Dr. Dog - "Critical Equation"

Philadelphia's own Dr. Dog have been at it since the early 2000's dishing out blissful and Psychedelic Indie Rock.  Now, I'll be honest, I'm really not into their early stuff, I've tried multiple times.  2003's "Toothbrush" is mediocre at best, with most of the album just flying right past making no impact at all.  There were tracks like "Jealous Man" which actually came off super passionate.  But the production on this album was way too wishy-washy for my liking.  Now, 2005's "Easy Beat" was much more likable, still far from perfect, however.  I thought the quaint, sort of slacker songwriting style came off so enjoyable, and it sounded to me like Dr. Dog was really starting to get their sound down.  Sadly though, I really wasn't into a lot of the bluesier numbers still.  2007's "We All Belong" however, to me seemed like Dr. Dog finally got their act together.  Tracks like "My Old Days" and "Keep a Friend" were some of the band's earliest truly great tunes.  And for the first time, I felt like Dr. Dog weren't sounding like such a cover band.  Sure, this album wasn't perfect, but Dr. Dog were sounding better with each release. Dr. Dog released their first truly great album in 2008 with "Fate".  This album was their cleanest yet, and showed them finally mastering the more bluesy side to their music with incredible tracks like "The Beach" and "Hang On".  But the majority of this album was blissful Indie Pop and Psych Pop, with tons of nods to Classic Rock alongside some wonderful harmonies.  Tracks like "The Rabbit, The Bat & The Reindeer" and my personal favorite "The Old Days" absolutely stand out.  In 2010 Dr. Dog released my favorite of their albums, the much more glossy "Shame, Shame".  Not only is this Dr. Dog's cleanest and nicest sounding album, it's also their best written and catchiest.  This album goes from whimsical, playful Psych Rock on tracks like "Jackie Wants a Black Eye" or "Where'd All The Time Go?" to dreamy bluesy numbers like "Shadow People" flawlessly.  The vocal harmonies were perfect, the band's personality was incredibly likable, and overall I had little bad things to say about this album.  But it's with 2012's "Be The Void" that Dr. Dog started to slowly lose me.  Don't get me wrong, this album contained some of Dr. Dog's most instantaneous and catchy singles to date, like "That Old Black Hole" and "These Days".  But some of the later moments on the album got very iffy very fast.  There were some nice surprises, like the sort of Jam-Oriented "Heavy Light" and the sweet "Do The Trick".  But for every moment like that, there were moments like the painfully boring "Big Girl" and the massively underwritten "Warrior Man".  Come to think of it, a LOT of this album is massively underwritten.  But if "Be The Void" was the slowing down of a once great band, 2013's "B-Room" is an absolute shit show.  This album is nearly impossible to sit through.  Sure, there are some actually really great vocal performances and bluesy numbers.  But there isn't any energy to this album.  I feel like they went out of their way to make the quietest, tamest album of their discography.  The result is incredibly lackluster, with almost no Psychedelic Rock in sight, and you can forget all about vocal harmonies.  2016's "The Psychedelic Swamp" in all honesty wasn't that much better.  Tracks like "Bring My Baby Back" and "In Love" were decent, and probably better than anything on the band's previous album.  And overall, I would say that instrumentally this wasn't terrible.  But how in the hell did Dr. Dog think their vocals were OK here?  Half the time they sound bored and the other half they sound ready for a nap.  Plus, it all just seemed a little hokey, like the band was so desperate on being a "retro" band.  So much so, that I just completely skipped over 2017's "Abandoned Mansion".  Well, my morbid curiosity has brought be back to Dr. Dog once again.  And from the sound of these singles, I really feel like the band is still playing it so safe these days.  Let's talk about this album.

(A personal favorite of mine!)

    This album starts out with “Listening In”m and this is the slow-paced intro that I was sort of anticipating.  But what I didn’t expect was the sort of dark, creeping feel to this.  Between that and the very surreal and twisted lyrics, I actually don’t think this is the worst intro.  If you’re a fan of bands like Timber Timbre, you actually may really be into the very sleazy vibes here.  Like, I’ve listened to Scott McMicken’s vocals for years, and he’s never sounded this genuinely sinister.  And while I don’t expect to hear a lot more material like this in the future, this is an ear-grabbing intro.  And while this is a very creeping intro, there’s a great sorrow to it as well that I can’t deny.  The very eerie tone of this album rolls on with “Go Out Fighting”.  I have to say, there’s a certain campiness to this that I’m totally into.  It’s not just completely drenched in effects, trying desperately to be some band of yesteryear.  No, there’s actually really interesting character here.  The synths are sort of goofy, ripped out of some old school, late night B-List horror movie.  And Scott’s vocals which are always so innocent and small, here sound aggressive and hypnotic.  I have nothing bad to say, plus I can’t remember the last time I heard Dr. Dog playing with such determination.  But you see, it’s tracks like “Buzzing In The Light” that is such a sucker punch for me.  Ironically this is the first time we’ve really heard from the much bluesier vocals of Toby Leaman.  And it’s a shame because he ends up on one of the most boring tunes here.  We’re right back to the same, “pining for the glory days” Dr. Dog, and all of the sorts of old-school effects are just so corny.  But the worst thing about “Buzzing In The Light” is that it literally just sounds like there is no effort, and even worse, no purpose.   This track exemplifies every issued I’ve had with Dr. Dog the last few years.  At the very least, it’s nice to hear a little energy on tracks like “Virginia Please”.  We’re back to dealing with Scott on vocals, and he really sounds full of life.  Like, this album isn’t close to what the band was cranking out in their glory days.  But it’s just so refreshing to hear them playing with a little purpose.  I love the positive vibes here, and while there are some retro effects here and there, it’s not absolutely tearing them apart anymore.

    With “Critical Equation” up next, I continue to be a serious fan of the very dreamy, surreal sounds of this album.  It’s a really interesting dynamic we haven’t heard from Dr. Dog.  Scott’s vocals continue to be just so innocent amongst all of these thick atmospheres.  It’s sweet and all, but there’s still that very intense feeling of dread deep down.  It’s interesting just how straightforward this album is, yet how relaxed and passionate Dr. Dog sound compared to their last few works.  Then we have “True Love”, which brings us back to hearing Toby on vocals.  This one is bluesier and much more upbeat, and to be honest, really refreshing.  It’s catchy, upbeat, and the sort of sunny, bluesy Psych Pop that got Dr. Dog on the map, to begin with.  Not to mention, that chorus boys, that’s something special.  I can’t remember the last time I had some genuine fun listening to Dr. Dog, and I’m pleasantly surprised.  “Heart Killer” takes us back to the super campy synths we got earlier, and this one immediately has a much more intense feel to it.  Now, I see what this track is going for, is a little bit rough and tumble.  And instrumentally, I’m all for this.  Even the melodies and the whimsical atmosphere really aren’t bad.  But oh my goodness is this one ever underwritten.  Of all of the tracks here, “Heart Killer” feels like the one that was thrown together the quickest.  And it’s a shame because this very bouncy atmosphere is really likable.  There’s plenty to like on this one, but for me, it shows just how far the bad still has to go.  And “Night” sadly sucks most of the rest of the life out of me.  It’s these teary-eyed, way too sappy tracks from Dr. Dog that bring me down.  I actually really love some of the lyrics as the boys romanticize the night and do an unbelievable job of it.  And for me being a night owl, I totally get it, these lyrics are seriously charming.  But instrumentally, Dr. Dog is losing me by the second.

    So, it’s been a while since we’ve heard an honestly bluesy Dr. Dog tune.  But hearing “Under The Wheels” makes me never want to hear another one ever again.  With all the genuine progression we’ve heard here, this is such a back-step.  This is all just more pandering to some thought that Dr. Dog is some long lost treasure of a band.  There are some bluesy licks and passionate vocals.  But we’ve lost the passion folks, the heart, the passion and more.  Not to mention, I literally feel like Dr. Dog have written this track dozens of times.  And I hate to be that guy, but “Coming Out Of the Darkness” really isn’t much better.  This doesn’t show the sort of progress we’ve heard this entire album.  This is nothing but bluesy instrumentals, a semi-Psychedelic atmosphere, and some of the most phoned-in lyrics here.  Where did all of that passion go?   This album isn’t terrible, and is easily the most enjoyable stuff they’ve dished out since “Be The Void”, but they have a ways to go. 

Rating: 7.3/10

Give A Listen To: “Listening In”, “Go Out Fighting”, “Critical Equation”, “True Love”

Genre: Psychedelic Pop / Indie Rock / Blues Rock 

Overall Thoughts:  Dr. Dog for a chunk of this album step back from trying desperately to be a retro band, and actually come through with a handful of their best tracks in years.  The atmospheres here are often surreal and genuinely dark, far from the ultra-positive days of old for the band.  But to me, I think what makes this album work the most is just how relaxed they feel.  On their last 3 albums, they’ve seen so laser-focused on being a nostalgia act that there was no passion in sight.  And while some of the tracks here are underwritten and some of the slower numbers are still exhausting, this is a step in the right direction.