In this band’s seventh album, Philly folk rockers Dr. Dog produce Be the Void, a work fitting its name. Devoid of flourish, excess and overall fluff, the band assembles the scraps from rock genres — an amalgam of psychedelic, folk, Southern rock and early heavy metal — into a lo-fi experience. Dr. Dog, a band known for clear melodic consonance, has experimented with a reversal of structure in song composition. Instead of rich acoustic and piano arrangements, the band instead is reminiscent of a Fat Albert jamboree with a junkyard gang playing with old laundry tubs and rusted cans. Fortunately enough, the musical elements coupled with lead singer Scott McMicken’s versatile voice connects what seems like these incongruous elements rather wonderfully.
“Vampire,” for example, reminds one of Wolfmother in that most of the song is based on a simple repeated riff, making the melody more about the attitude convey substantive feeling. With that in mind, McMicken’s raspy scream haphazardly yet delicately climbs in octave with such ease that, simply put, he finds the perfect balance for what this kind of song requires.
In contrast, the hook for “These Days” winds its way up and down, showing distinct diligence in the proficiency of McMicken and Frank Elroy’s guitar chops coupled with keyboardist Zach Miller’s chords that show the listener the way through the sonic maze.
Although it is expected many of Be the Void’s jams will not be scooped up by alt-rock radio outlets, this is a good offering from a band looking to broaden its horizons on a compositional level. Dr. Dog’s sonic experiment, although rough around the edges, show no signs of minimalism or malaise. Check out Be the Void if you’re in the mood to get caught-up in some snarling, catchy tunes.
For Your Consideration: "Vampire," "These Days."
For Next Time: I don't know yet, but it's coming soon.
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