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Shame, Shame is the sixth album for Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog. Their lo-fi sound mixed with jammy psychedelia has been, in my opinion, either highly entertaining (the album We all Belong is one of the best albums of the past decade) or fantastically boring (Fate followed We All Belong and was a major disappointment). This is their Anti-Records debut.
I’ve been less than excited to hear the album, to be perfectly honest, since I thought Fate was such a letdown. It’s been sitting on a pile of CDs, unmolested, for around a month and I finally got around to it after being bored to death with other possible reviews. It’s a sad way to discover what has impressed me so greatly. Shame, Shame, on the initial listen, is a return to form– a polished version of the lo-fi sound that captivated me three years ago.
Honestly, I’m itching to listen more and have the album’s lyrics and 60s-esque backup vocals wash over me more and more. The tail end of the album needs especially close attention as the songs lengthen and strengthen. Dr. Dog has, thus far, not disappointed, and that is a major relief. Problematically, the album’s release date is targeted for April, so it may be awhile before any of us get to enjoy this together.