Dr. Dog

We All Belong (Park the Van)

By Matt Siblo
Published: March 28th, 2007 | 2:50pm

“We’ve got old news / Wrapped up in old blues.” And so opens, We All Belong the sophomore album by Philadelphia psych-pop band Dr. Dog. The band made headlines in 2005 after releasing Easy Beat, a collection of pleasant lo-fi rock songs that owed as much to Pavement and Guided by Voices as it did to the Velvet Underground and the Byrds. The band were quickly lauded by high-profile indie brethren with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids, and My Morning Jacket — just a few examples of fans/enthusiastic tour mates. But the band received its biggest shot in the arm from a glowing review courtesy of New York Times critic Kelefa Sanneh whose hyperbolic praise makes unknown rock bands salivate. Given all of these advocates, why hasn’t Dr. Dog’s stock skyrocketed to Canadian proportions?

My guess is because the band is indeed singing the old news with the old blues. And as the lukewarm reception of Easy Beat proved, the Dog’s sort of nostalgia isn’t currently in style. While twenty-something’s scour dirt malls for authentic Neil Young tour T-shirts, Dr. Dog’s brand of breezy ‘70s AM pop has failed to find a niche within the current landscape.

Not for long, however. We All Belong is strong enough to convert the non-believers, a seemingly genuine alternative to the embarrassing fuzz of Kings of Leon and the increasingly Bonnaroo-oriented MMJ. Obvious touchstones include the sun-stained melodies of Wilson while the band’s admiration for Paul McCartney is anything but subtle. But in an age where blind reverence is often regarded as ignorance, Dr. Dog is able to create an energetic homage to its influences that has moved well beyond idol worship. We All Belong has the makings of a definitive statement.