I Only Wear Blue – Dr. Dog I Only Wear Blue – Dr. Dog

Someday – Dr. Dog Someday – Dr. Dog

There are some bands who get mass attention from blogs and music sites that I have a hard time garnering the same adoration for. It just so happens that Dr. Dog harbors the same place in my mind. I had heard Shadow People all over the place and absolutely loved the track, still do in fact. So when the WILD honey pie asked me to review the album, I was stoked. My beer was placed carefully on my desk. The dog asleep in his bed and the speakers cranked. Then I hit play.

Dr. Dog is known for their retro-rock throwback style. For their fans, this has always worked out swell. On Shame, Shame they only glow when they shy, even in the slightest, away from this style. Take a look at Mirror, Mirror for example. That bass line was written in 1971 and nobody liked it then. The trite lyrics don’t exactly help, “Mirror, Mirror on the wall there’s no reflection at all. / I’m so tired I can’t sleep / The secrets that my secrets keep” The verses sound like a laundry list of who cares while the chorus is taken from Snow White. Painful.

The title track Shame, Shame (apparently they like commas and repetition) closes out the record and the title couldn’t be more fitting. Between the swallowed words and awful backup vocals this song struggles to achieve any sort of rhythm or emotion.

The album isn’t without its standouts though. Shadow People, Unbearable Why, and I Only Wear Blue, are definitely worth adding to your iPod playlist. The unfortunate thing is these are the only songs that achieve greatness. They have pop and a sound that still stays true to their retro roots, but never compromises integrity and originality just to sound old. I find it hard to start a song with a groaning organ and ever have it feel like anything less than a church hymn but I Only Wear Blue not only pulls it off but it plays well with the rest of the track.

The layers and texture of sounds on this track make it equally as compelling as Shadow People and will no doubt provide you the swagger of Shaft with the heart of indie rock. And after all, I think in a nutshell that’s what this album was trying to achieve. I know I am in the minority here and please I beg you to convince me why I should care about these lads from Philly but none the less they earn a 2 out of 5 (may I remind you that they’re previous album, Fate, received a 5 out of 5 on the WILD honey pie).