Dr. Dog

Shame, Shame

(Anti-)

Record Review by Kevan Peterson

Continuing down their path of glossier more commercial album fare, Dr. Dog delivers Shame, Shame their sixth studio outing, while apparently feeling little shame at all.  The songs are earnest, catchy and confident, moving easily from psychedelic rock to bits of country twang.  Positioning this album to more faithfully capture their live experience, the band has put a stronger focus on slightly darker melodies and more grittier subject matter. 

The first single, “Shadow People,” is rightfully chosen as a standout track of the album, but there are several other shining moments.  Opening track “Stranger” hits all the right notes with backing vocals that make it float a notch above the rest.  “Unbearable Why” captures a nostalgic feeling from long before the band's era and “Later” plays a bit rawer than some of the album's more polished gems.  “Jackie Wants a Black Eye” brims full of emotionally interconnected lyrics and music, making it perhaps the strongest track on Shame, Shame. 

The band has managed to deliver a well-executed collection of tunes that put them squarely on the map of standout albums for the first half of the year.  The Shame, Shame is really on their contemporaries who have failed to deliver as stellar an experience as Dr. Dog.