Philadelphia group—and possibly certified dog experts—Dr. Dog have a new EP hitting today, the five track Wild Race, which you should actually scramble and make a wild race to grab. Because it’s pretty dang nice.
Every song will crawl into your brain and never come out, starting with the rollicking mantra that is “Be the Void.” It strikes your folksy rock chakra and becomes a jubilant celebration of oneness with all, a real breath of fresh air thanks to the steps it takes in turning introspective lyrics into something great and enjoyable. The equally uplifting “The Sun” inserts the faux-audience for a Sgt. Pepper vibe before heading into stage pounding bar stunner. Beautiful use of tambourine that makes for a sweet and cheery poke on the nose.
The EP slows things down with “What a Fool,” a soulful track with a hint of the Orbison-Elvis tribute of “(Just Like) Starting Over,” but without the cheesy Boomer aura of nostalgia. Dreamy and haunting, “Fool” feels far too brief and leaves you longing. The fantastic “Exit for Sale” has vocals tinged with Neil Young, great harmonies, a glorious bridge and cute psychedelic jangles.
Title track and closer “Wild Race” is a hypnotic song perfect for a scenic open road that carries over some more psychedelic and spacey sounds. A total melodic cruise, “Wild” is the perfect piece to end on, showing off Dr. Dog’s skills with sound engineering.
Yes, there are hints of 60’s and 70’s here and there, but this is a wholly original and organic EP, each song so well done in the lyric and instrumental department that they’ll stay with you for days. “Wild Race” may only take 20 minutes to listen to, but each minute is pitch perfect.
