Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame

The revolving-door policy at Dr. Dog has seen many band members come and go since it was founded by school friends Scott McMicken and Toby Leaman over a decade ago, but what hasn't left the band is a deep amore for sixties pop and psychedelia. It's a formula that continues to serve them well, with each album broadening the band's appeal beyond their hometown Philadelphia fanbase, and seemingly striking chords in all the right places. Recently, a succession of glowing reviews has even yielded a few performances on the lucrative late-night talk show circuit.

In an effort to extend themselves on this, their sixth album proper, the band decided to work with an outside producer (Rob Schnapf) for the first time, having recorded all previous albums within the comfort zone of their own studio. It’s a decision that seems to have had a modernising effect, to a degree, on their trademark retro sound – an effect that is most evident on ‘Later’, with its bouncing rhythm and the kind of African guitars-given-an-indie-makeover sound that Vampire Weekend have made so popular. And then there's ‘Unbearable Why’, a thing of beauty that’s crying out for mass airplay; with its cool, crisp percussion, groove-laden bassline and addictive harmonies, it's a crowd-pleaser that Peter Bjorn and John would be proud of. 

These two songs provide a frankly welcome diversion from the occasionally gooey dollops of nostalgia that Shame, Shame is mostly made up of. ‘Shadow People’, ‘Where'd All The Time Go?’ and ‘Someday’, for instance, are all fine songs, but some listeners will no doubt turn away as nostalgia levels reach saturation point. Any such doubters would do well, however, to stick around for the slick bass at play on ‘Stranger’, a big, embracing number with shades of By The Way-era Chili Peppers (and specifically John Frusciante's doo-wop infatuation), but also the pomp and ceremony of Flaming Lips. There's even a shot of funk served with a twist of Bowie at the beginning of ‘Mirror, Mirror’; ultimately, though, this old Dog shies away from learning too many new tricks, and the band’s psych-pop sensibilities win out across the album’s eleven tracks. 

Only a very minor reinvention then, but with tunes this catchy Dr. Dog should be able to win over all but the most militant of modernists.