LISTEN TO DR DOG’S NEW ALBUM FATE STREAMING IN FULL RIGHT HERE ON FASTERLOUDER.

In this day and age where all musicians have producers and high tech equipment, enabling them to manipulate and falsify their recordings, it is rare indeed to find a band that prefers to do things the old fashioned way. Philadelphia’s Dr Dog is one such band. They do all their own producing and recording with humble lo-fi equipment. “It just felt natural for us. For me that’s more the reason why I’m in a band, you know? The recording and crafting of songs is way more interesting than anything else,” explains singer and guitarist Scott McMicken.

As a result the band’s latest album Fate has colourful lyrics and flamboyant keyboard, guitar and drum arrangements. Although their style of psychedelic rock is not something that all audiences will find palatable, it certainly does prove that a band can make a stable living out of making music, without the aid of producers or media saturation. Scott provides more reasons as to why his band is still under the radar. “I think all of us have faces only our mothers would love, and we’re not rock stars and we never will be. I think I also have this romantic notion that once a band makes it commercially they are no longer good.”

Although Dr Dog started recording and releasing music back in 2001, it wasn’t until 2004 that they actually became a live band. The reason for this was because the two main and original members Scott and Toby Leaman weren’t really interested in it, plus they didn’t have enough money to buy all the necessary equipment to tour. But four years ago everything changed when Scott had a chance encounter with My Morning Jacket lead singer Jim James, as he became determined to get his band on the road. “That one encounter is the one most important thing in Dr Dog’s history. We really can’t say enough good stuff about My Morning Jacket. We owe so much to them.”

Another aspect that makes Dr Dog stand out amongst their peers is the band’s desire to be considered as a unified whole rather than separate individuals, hence the meaningless nicknames Taxi, Tables, Text, Time and Thanks. “I think that’s when our band is at its best, when everyone feels as important as everyone else.”

So what can audiences expect from the new album? “It’s a bigger, fuller, more dynamic sounding album than we’ve done before. Toby and I have changed as songwriters. There’s a willingness to open up more and a willingness to look at things closer.”

Fate is out now. Dr Dog will be heading our way either at the end of this year or early 2009, so keep your eyes on FasterLouder.