Filtering classic rock and pop through a lo-fi slacker aesthetic that recalls Pavement or Guided by Voices, Philadelphia's Dr. Dog sounds both timeless and immediate. Its new album, Shame, Shame, came out this week, so the group should be in a celebratory mood for this appearance. Click the link above to hear Dr. Dog perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.
Formed in 1999 as a recording project for two members of the indie-rock band Raccoon, Dr. Dog became a full-time gig when Raccoon folded in the early '00s. Dr. Dog's first two records, 2001's Psychedelic Swamp and 2002's Toothbrush, were both self-released but failed to make an impact outside of the Philadelphia area. Still, the group's fortunes changed when My Morning Jacket's Jim James handpicked Dr. Dog to open for his band on its 2004 tour. Subsequently picked up by an indie label for 2005's Easy Beat, the group won raves for its combination of psychedelic pop hooks and Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies.
One of the group's most autobiographical albums, Shame, Shame unfolds with the tender and joyous harmonies of "Stranger," in which its members sing, "I do believe that there's no more tricks up my sleeve." Judging by the strong set of tracks that follow, they're just being modest.
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