Having dabbled in the realm of popular musicians and big names over the past few weeks it’s time to give credit to yet another lesser-known band that should become a household name. It’s been one year since this week’s band released their fifth album, Shame, Shame, two years since their song “My Friend” aired in all the commercials for the 2009 comedy Funny People, and their antique sound has yet to invade the ears of most. This week we try and open the doors of the west coast to the Philadelphia based Dr. Dog and welcome all new-comers to give ‘em a listen and try not to like them.
Dr. Dog formed as a side project of songwriters and vocalists Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken and matured into the band we have today. One with a nasally voice (McMicken), the other without, Dr. Dog sets the mood with their fair share of songs about relationships and lifetime woes. Borrowing heavily from bands like the Beatles and the Kinks, Dr. Dog blended the sounds of yesteryear with the low-fi recording style of bands like the Mountain Goats or the Pink Spiders and added ample amounts of harmonies and hand-claps bringing a soothing yet scratchy sound reminiscent of your grandpa’s turntable that was built into his end table. The short version: They bring a hell of a lot of charm to their music and the talent to back it up.
Dr. Dog began gaining traction in 2004 after going on tour with My Morning Jacket. Soon after they released their sophomore album Easy Beat and continued touring and putting out more music, often free of charge through their website. Though Dr. Dog produced their first few albums with a low-fi sound, they’ve since cleaned up their act a bit and polished their sound. Their songs have retained their powerful lyrics and harmonies, bringing forth a matured sound and a tighter-knit band.
As mentioned above, Dr. Dog is becoming more and more recognized, yet somehow they still manage to remain under the radar of most looking for a good, new musical fix. Aside from their spot on the Funny People advertisement (they didn’t make the actual soundtrack), Dr. Dog has made appearances on the late-night circuit including Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson, and Conan O’Brien. With the talent that this band has, it is only a matter of time before their songs are being blared once an hour every hour on radio stations everywhere; it’s simply up to people to start listening to them and to spread the word.
Dr. Dog may not have the popularity that other indie bands have acquired, but they definitely have the necessary ingredients to being a successful band. Dr. Dog has the remedy to the stale, overly familiar sound of most artists getting mainstream radio play. From their catchy, heartfelt songs to their stage presence, to their overall likability, Dr. Dog has the power to be a group that gets air-time for generations to come without the prospect of being a one-trick pony. Check out the links below to get your fix.
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