The end result of frivolity is always negative in the movies and fables. It’s unfortunate, really. It’s almost as if an early lifetime of fun is a predestined journey: years of good times with a tragic fall from grace. I’m planning my fall from grace for 2017, if you must know. I’m actually pretty excited. Much more excited than I was before I heard this record.
See, I had assumed that Dr. Dog had begun their fall from grace long ago. I also assumed I was going to dislike this album. Thus, I again learn that assumptions are for suckers. Shame, Shame is a fun ride through a series of influential sounds of the 60s and 70s with hints of originality sprinkled into it. Marginal and terrifically recorded are often not complimentary to each other, but Dr. Dog is no ordinary band, apparently.
An ordinary band would have exhausted this sound long ago and fallen in love with the image side of rock records. Isn’t that what undid so many good bands? The idea that they were bigger than music; bigger than their previous ideals? It’s either that or exhaust their ideas in one, maybe one-and-a-half records. Dr. Dog has proven they are not out of ideas and willing to continue writing solid songs that are neither over-the-top/aggrandized or overtly keen on anything but their own multi-faceted abilities. Often, the explosion of instruments is enough to overpower awkwardly simple lyrics and well-tread song material.
In fact, they prove an old theory: it doesn’t matter how simple something is when made, so long as it is made passionately. For awhile, I thought Dr. Dog had lost that quality. Now, I realize I actually might have. I never would have given this a shot if not for writing for this site, and now I have more good music to hang out with while hungover for it. I can’t ask for much more than that. I get the feeling after hearing Shame, Shame Dr. Dog would have it no other way.
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