With Dr. Dog’s 2012 release, the band returns to the lo-fi looseness and chaos of their previous efforts to recapture the signature sound that has defined Dr. Dog. Their last album, Shame Shame, saw the band take a new direction, trading in looseness for a tightly fit, more meticulously constructed album. Now the band has reverted back to capture their live sound, and retro-70’s guitar rock that they all remind us of.

The band chooses to describe it’s sound as “spontaneous passion,” and in doing so captures the sound of a band gigging in basements and blowing it’s crowd away. Not gone is the band ability to write really catchy songs that would make the Stone’s shake a leg. In doing so, here is a band that has become fully comfortable with itself, and while the sound may be “loose,” the construction of each song is well thought out and bleeding arrangement.

Perhaps it was the addition of Dimitri Manos that lead to this sound reversion, but with rapid hooks, like that found in “These Days” or the swagger beat of “The Old Black Hole,” it’s comfortable hearing the old Dr. Dog back. The stand out track is “Get Away,” the only song that may hearken back to the band’s previous album, but with Dimitri Manos’ percussion, fits with the band’s newish-oldy direction. Other stand-out tracks include the slow burn of “Vampire;” a song that fully embraces the thrill of distortion and noise. “Heavy Light” has a nice light  reggae feel, reminiscent of Vampire Weekend without the post production, and the full on dance party.

If anything, Dr. Dog’s latest should prove that no matter what direction they go, you’ll always be willing to follow. Their throwback sound does service to the rock that inspired it, while the new destination will never be quite what you expect (hoof beats may lead to Zebras instead of horses.). In an age where bands sell out in an instant, it’s nice to see a band, true to it’s roots.

Album Rating: Buy It on CD or Vinyl

Listening Co-efficient: Passive Listen

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