Dr. Dog - Be the Void

Coming out of West Grove, Pennsylvania psychedelic indie rockers Dr. Dog have returned with their all new studio effort, Be The Void. The follow up to 2010's "Shame, Shame" finds the group still sticking to their guns and what they know best, psychedelic enhanced indie rock rhythms brought upon a grander scale this time around.

The disc opens up with "Lonesome" a mellow, laid back tune that shows off the group's dynamic musical output. Lead singer duties are handled equally by bassist Toby Leaman and lead guitarist Scott McMicken, contributing a dual vocal harmony that shows the group's unity and togetherness as a group. "That Old Black Hole" is a more upbeat, high energy track that showcases the group's eclectic musical dynamic with an array of rhythms and fantastic guitar rhythms that will have you dancing a little bit all the way through. My favorite song off the disc is "How Long Must I Wait", a song that strikes a perfect balance and finds a way to incorporate low key, melodic rhythms and pairs them with honed in guitar riffs that make the song an outstanding track that best exemplifies the band's creative dynamic and how they make their music. "Get Away" is a mystical, beautiful track that features great vocal syncopation and fantastic guitar rhythms that make this song worthy of being repeated over and over on your iPod.

The album's second half opens with "Vampire" a rich, musically embodied track that features dense guitar licks and rich vocal patterns that show off the group's psychedelic roots that are represented in one way or another in their music. "Big Girl" is a high energy, melodic romp that showcases the group's musical persona in an entertaining way with rich, melodic hooks that reel you in upon first listen while still maintaining the group's indie rock aesthetic. "Over Here, Over There" is a pure folk based tune that features incredible acoustic guitar rhythms that show the group's raw and earthy folk roots that are spread all throughout the album intermittently at times. The disc heads into the night with "Warrior Man" a fuzzy, distorted track that shows the band isn't afraid to take chances with a terrific track that shows off the group's technical side. The disc closes out with "Turning The Century" a low key, folk influenced track that wraps the disc up perfectly and showcases the band's organic and dedicated playing style that is unlike any other band currently in the music scene today. One of the more interesting aspects of Dr. Dog is that each band member has a nickname, and usually that nickname is a descriptive adjective of the person, whether it be a physical characteristic or something about their overall everyday lives. For instance, one of their former members' nicknames was Andrew "Trial" Jones because he was a licensed attorney. This is a fun and goofy way for the band to amuse themselves and let them be more productive at the same time, allowing the members to have a laid back, mellow persona gives the band a more public identity within the music scene as well.

All in all, another great effort here from Dr. Dog, who continue to bring their organic blend of psychedelic influenced indie rock that is unlike anything currently out there in the music scene today and is a nice departure from all the other music that is being released today.

                                                                                                                             Album Score: 4/5

Track Listing:

1. Lonesome
2. That Old Black Hole
3. These Days
4. How Long Must I Wait
5. Get Away
6. Do The Trick
7. Vampire
8. Heavy Light
9. Big Girl
10. Over Here, Over There
11. Warrior Man
12. Turning The Century