Dr. Dog - Fate

With the release of Fate, the members of Dr. Dog have put themselves in a tricky position, ripe for pooh-poohing from the bloodthirsty gatekeepers of irony who are ready to pounce in their rolled-jean capris. See, Fate is the Philly fivesome’s third straight album of unabashedly catchy ’60s pop that harkens back to a certain moppy-haired foursome from that era, complete with la la las and na na nas.

In 2005, Dr. Dog’s Easy Beat was a lo-fi, ramshackle affair; last year’s We All Belong was a bit more polished, and Fate’s production is as slick as singer/guitarist Scott McMicken’s unwashed locks. But other than that, the song remains the same. It’s that point in a band’s career where others have felt the need for reinvention—time to deconstruct that pop and rip it apart like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-era Wilco, or infuse it with off-the-wall influences à la My Morning Jacket’s recent adventures.

But Dr. Dog has done nothing of the sort, and bully for them, I say. Deconstruction and reinvention isn’t a requirement, and shouldn’t be viewed as so. Why concoct something newfangled when the current recipe is tried and true?

Fate’s songs contemplate American malaise, as McMicken and fellow vocalist Toby Leaman tackle issues of action and inaction. “Army of Ancients” claims said army could arise and tear every nation apart, “and I’d still be sitting there counting my cards, wondering when will it start.” The chorus asks, “How did the fox get the raven to crow?” (followed by an “Oh yeah” that can only be described as Lennon-esque).

“The Ark” asks the question in a more direct way: “What does it mean to be here?” “Well I know because I can, and I will,” Dr. Dog answers, taking the easy route by implying the psychedelic-throwback maxim “Be Here Now.” But that bit of lyrical vapidity, which can also be found in a couple of other tracks, rarely overshadows the band’s knack for melody.

Carrying that melody on “The Old Days” is a saloon piano that fits right in with the album’s old-timey packaging, which will appeal to those who still like the tangible aspects of a record. The cover image is a quilted scene, and the insert is styled like a turn-of-the-century newspaper, each headline a song title with lyrics below.

As much as I’ve enjoyed the album, I’ll concede that Dr. Dog has planted its roots firmly in a sound and era that may not allow Fate’s songs to have endless staying power. But they sure do make for good sing-alongs. As the band advises on the opening track, “The Breeze,” if you feel like you’re stuck in time, just “put that needle to the groove, and sing.”

A Dr. Dog show scheduled for Tuesday at the Basement has been canceled, but the band is scheduled to perform for CD101’s Summerfest on Aug. 23 at the LC.
(From The Other Paper)

mp3: Dr. Dog - The Old Days