Reproducing a dense, sonic landscape in a live setting isn’t easy, but Dr. Dog sure makes it look that way. Contemporary indie bands often struggle to replicate the production sheen of their records, but it’s a challenge that this eccentric fivesome have met with open arms. Playing to a packed floor at Turner Hall last Thursday, Dr. Dog previewed tunes from their upcoming Anti-Records debut Shame, Shame, and also played favorites from Fate and We All Belong.
Dr. Dog’s idiosyncratic pop-rock draws heavily from 1960s bands like The Beach Boys and The Beatles, and their performance accentuated this. With walls of lush vocal harmonies, fuzzed-out guitars, and swirling organ, Dr. Dog is the 21st century’s answer to psychedelic pop.
The night’s opener, “Worst Trip,” found Dr. Dog blending aspects of soul and classic rock in a revitalizing manner. The lyrics echoed The Beach Boys’ “Sloop John B,” and bassist Toby Leaman’s emotive croon was a perfect match for the song’s jangle. The harmonic chorus asked the question, “Is this the worst trip you have ever been on?” Leaman’s imposing voice replied, “Well I thought you’d kind of like it/It’s awfully dark and quiet here/Some may leave and some are going anywhere.”
These buoyant, yet mysterious, reflections are the centerpiece of Dr. Dog’s music, but unfortunately many of the lyrics in the opening songs were clouded in feedback. But by the folky ballad, “Breeze,” the issues were resolved and Dr. Dog asked the audience in song, “Are you moving much too fast?” and eventually came to the realization that “The breeze that blows us here today/Will blow us all away.”
The band exhibited a unique sense of liveliness and camaraderie that’s absent from many distinguished touring acts. Under a wall of warm, summery harmonies, Bassist Toby Leaman and guitarist Scott McMicken shared vocal duties in a Band-esque style on “The Rabbit, The Bat, & The Reindeer” and “Hang On.”
The night came to a powerful peak in “Army of Ancients,” when a red-faced Leaman howled out, “I don’t wanna’ wake up/I don’t wanna’ move/I’ll skip the sermon and stick to the booze.” In a room filled with PBR Tall Boys, it was easy to relate.
While tunes like “Mirror, Mirror” from their upcoming release Shame, Shame may be a departure from their rootsier work, the heavier songs created an appropriate balance in the set. The band closed the night with a power-pop song called “Fuck It,” which found the five piece screaming out together, “Some days I do/Some days I don’t/Fuck it.”
While their latest release, Fate, is a delicately crafted masterpiece, it was their vibrant performance at Turner Hall that exposed a truly gifted band. Dr. Dog’s nostalgia for a bygone era of music, mixed with their modern experimentation, creates a startlingly unique sound that should be gaining more recognition soon. With Dr. Dog taking cues from their rock elders, it’s safe to say that the new dog has learned some old tricks.
