Reviews > CDs

Dr. Dog: Be the Void

Anti-

At its core, Dr. Dog thrives because of the songwriting partnership that guitarist Scott McMicken and bassist Toby Leaman formed in grade school. Each has a unique singing voice and distinct musical predilections, and they create a natural yin-and-yang—quirkier versions of McCartney and Harrison with a similar ability to blend psychedelic rock with pop music. Though the band swelled to a six-piece for Be The Void, the production is pared down, making the group’s lo-fi aesthetic a bit leaner and closer to its celebrated live shows, but with enough layers and studio polish to make the songs shine. Driven by burning guitars and full of the same beat-up-butbeautiful harmonies that have helped define the band for the past decade, the album also has foot-stompin’ blues, ballads and groovy dance numbers—all stitched together with catchy sing-along hooks that prove strong enough to help the band emerge from the shadow of its influences.