Think back to your first day back at school from a long summer vacation. When you meet up with your friends, you notice something about them is different; they’re little more mature, a little taller, a little bigger. Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog have experienced such a spurt; Be the Void, the band’s sixth album, shows that they have matured considerably in the time since their previous record, 2010’s Shame, Shame. Singers Scott McMicken and Toby Leaman have matured into fine, strong vocalists; their style no longer deserving comparison to Wayne Coyne, Jeff Mangum or Jim James. On previous records, fast-paced rockers like “These Days” and “Over Here, Over There” would have sounded a little shaky, a little shambolic, a little rickety. Instead, these songs are performed with a sunny confidence that irons out those nuances, and both are far removed from the era of Easy Beat and We All Belong.
Don’t fret that they’ve become too slick or polished, though. They are still masters of their trademark rickety psychedelic country-rock, as heard on “Lonesome” and “Turning the Century.” They have further mastered the sound of 70s AM radio, as witnessed by the jaunty little “Big Girl.” What shines through most on Be the Void, though, is the band’s soulful side; while it may have popped up here and there in the past, it’s really noticeable on “Get Away” and “Heavy Light,” and the gospel-rock of “Vampire” makes that song one of the many highlights of the album. Heck, they even borrow a cue from Marvin Gaye‘s “What’s Going On” for “That Old Black Hole,” though their song is more of a Grateful Dead rocker than a soulful, topical ballad.
For the longtime listener, Be the Void is the album one always hoped Dr. Dog would make, and they have not disappointed. For the newcomer, this is a charming and wonderful introduction to a veteran band. Dr. Dog could have played it safe and stuck to their sound. Thankfully, they didn’t do that, for the risk was worth the reward. Be the Void is easily one of the finest records of 2012.
