I only recently “discovered” Dr. Dog, being impressed by the song “Say Something” on a mix that someone sent me. I promptly grabbed the album it came from, 2005’s fantastic Easy Beat, and have been playing it fairly regularly since. I didn’t even realize they had an EP scheduled for release so it was a pleasant, timely surprise when it cropped up on eMusic the other day. All the more so since Takers and Leavers is another wonderful collection of songs.
The good Doctors continue to proudly incorporate their 60’s and 70’s influences into their own brand of scrappy pop-rock. Not to give the impression that their music is nothing more than a pastiche of past icons’ styles, but part of the fun is definitely in the style checks. “Goner,” for instance, features slide guitar reminiscent of George Harrison, Ringo-like drum fills, and vocals that at one point sounds like Paul at his “I’m Down” wildest. (John must have kept his spectral touch to himself as there’s nothing that strikes me as particularly Lennonesque.) The folky acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies on “California” at first made me think it was a cover of some lost Crosby, Stills, and Nash song. And I believe Neil Young, slipping through a wormhole in time during the Tonight’s the Night sessions, sings on “Livin’ a Dream.”
But seriously, Takers and Leavers is pretty irresistible. It doesn’t necessarily cohere as a singularly themed work, but the variety is engaging and nothing smacks of filler. It’s all high quality, but the opener, “Ain’t It Strange,” stands above the rest. With yearning, cracking on the high notes vocals, gorgeous harmonies, endearing hippy drippy lyrics, and a melodic fretboard workout winding things down at the end, it’s a psych-pop gem. Of course, the remaining nineteen minutes aren’t too shabby either.
Mixtape tracks- Ain’t It Strange, Goner
Freebies- Well, I suppose low quality is better than nothing. 96 kbs versions of “Ain’t It Strange” and “California” are available at the Dr. Dog MySpace page.