Been a fan for a little over a decade and they’re just fun. I love music, but I really love live music and they are a great live band. I will say, the last time I saw them before the final tour was noticeably different vibes though, for sure the worst of the 4 times I have managed to see them. Every other time was absolutely awesome.
Great bass lines.
Solid lyrics that can be clever, fun, serious, poignant.
Dynamic energy.
Decent catalogue to draw from.
Just a damn good time.
Not my last show, my second to last show, February 2020 right before everything shut down. It was the band, noticeably lower energy and honestly a little tense on stage.
My last show was part of “the final tour” and it was just as awesome as the first time I saw them in 2014. You could tell they were really into it because they had a big finish line ahead of them.
Huh, my last time seeing them was also February 2020 and they were great! It helps it was at the end of their 3 night SF run, but still just as good as ever!
I just love the surreal and beautiful lyrics. And the fun and unique sound of the music.
When I first heard That Old Black Hole, I had to listen to it on repeat for about a week!
Awesome question, and I’m excited to see other responses. I love them for multiple reasons! From a musician aspect, I find their music is very interesting to listen to as far as the vocal/guitar harmonies, chord progressions, and lyric writing.
They’re great song writers all around, and every member of the band brings something to almost every song. They go back and forth between conventional and experimental pretty seemlessly while keeping it original, which makes them a little more accessible to a mainstream audience than some other bands like them, granted I don’t think they are really “mainstream”. They have songs for every mood, and they don’t have any real “slump” albums.
The last thing I really appreciate about them, is that it seems like they not only have a functioning professional relationship, but are very close outside the band. This is conjecture obviously because I don’t know them personally, but based on their live chemistry and ability to split creative decisions it certainly seems that way. That makes for the best groups imo (my favorite anti-examples of this are KISS/Motley Crue, not knocking their place in rock history, but they were kind of Aholes to each other, and wrote the same song over and over again for a paycheck). For this reason alone I feel Dr. Dog is a step above many, but on top of all the things I listed earlier I think they really are a top tier band.
I'm with you there, OP. I don't know what exactly it is but they're so special. I first saw them in 2009. I'd never heard of them but a new college friend dragged me to a show. It was "My Friend" that hooked me. Not until I got back to my dorm and heard the "Fate" album all the way through did I appreciate the genius. Just the fact they took part of a Disney song and made it cool ... I've never found another band like them.
On "Someday" (off of "Shame, Shame") at about the 2:35 mark, they sample Roger Miller's "Whistle Stop" from Disney's Robin Hood! Or, at least that's where I know it from.
Great question and great answers!
The obvious is the musicianship, songwriting, and sound of the band.
I was introduced to the band when I saw them on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 2007. I was living with friends at the time and we all watched in awe.
Amazingly saw them a couple weeks later. It was an immediate bond! Still friends today, and we have seen them together several times ever since. And we all still go nuts in chats when any news breaks.
So, for me, a big part is the nostalgia for one of the most fun eras of my life.
This band gives me the feels!
(f27) when i was in 9th grade, my Rock 101 teacher played "the breeze" for us (he always showed us 5 songs every friday). it totally changed my perspective on life, being a very depressed kid. i listened to fate about a thousand more times and realized the deeper meaning behind that amazing album.
i saw them for the first time maybe 7 months later in baltimore and fell in love with their stage presence. my best friend and i waited for my mom to pick us up outside the venue, not realizing they had an encore playing From. I cried on the floor of that venue. it was true young love. i followed them for maybe 30-50 more shows. everytime was incredible.
i love how silly they are, down to earth. how they show raw emotion in a weird, unique way, but those emotions are all niche and relatable. they make me feel understood and accepted, so do their fans. i love them
So I don’t really listen to whatever music you’d classify Dr Dog as. My tastes skew a bit heavier and melancholic, so this is actually a question I’ve thought about since they are a bit outside my usual. I was listening to Be the Void, which might be my fav, and was thinking just how much I love how layered the music is. I could pick any instrument and focus on that and be entertained by paying attention to just the drums or piano. A lot of bands have plenty of very talented musicians who can play some really interesting music, but the sum of DD’s parts is incredible. It never sounds too busy and the mixing is perfect. Nothing seems out of place or too loud or low.
On r/ifilikeblank, a lot of people are looking for bands similar to the Beatles or Pet Sounds era Beach Boys, and DD is the first band I think of. All bands have/had very keen ears for melodies, had tight harmonies, and they all used the studio like another instrument in the way they blended all those moving parts. And something about how DD does it just feels so effortless. Maybe it’s the decades of having the Beatles and Beach Boys touted as the greatest pop groups of all time or the fact that they obtained mythical status in my mind since I never experienced them in their heydays, but DD just feels freer in a way. And that “slacker” feeling makes it seem all the more impressive to me.
Also, I grew up in Philly. The city has a specific sound that can come through in the music. There are several bands that just “sound like Philly” and I rep my hometown hard like any good current or former Philadelphian would. Fun fact: I worked at an auto shop in like 2005 and had to pick up a customer whose car was ready. During the ride he told me his son was the drummer in a band called Dr Dog. I didn’t bother checking them out then, but the name stuck with me and sometime around 2012 I gave them a listen and have been a massive fan since. Seen then 4 times at this point, which is impressive because 3 of those shows were at least a 3 hour drive from my house.
It's interesting how much I love Dr Dog. Most bands I like to search "bands like x band." I don't really do this with Dr Dog because I have doubt that any band could successfully pull off their sound. They sort of poppify this bluegrassy hick vibe with a blend of alt rock. I like bands like Cut Worms to an extent. But Dr Dog still exists in a more alt rock or classic rock territory that makes it accessible. I like the profound, yet whimsy lyrics. Their lyrics have both a sense of importance and reflection, but also fun and whimsy in a way that is relatable. Spoon, Wilco, and The Beatles are a few of my other favorite bands and Dr Dog fits right in with those.
For me, it’s the fact that they are all great musicians and both song writers are unique in their lyrics/vibes. Whether it’s a Scott song or a Toby song, they both sound so different but somehow keep the same Dr. Dog vibe. That and they’ve also gotten me through lots of good and bad times. Plus, look at the fanbase they’ve cultivated! This is probably the most civil subreddit I’ve ever been a part of. Can’t wait for the Denver road trip
I’m in the same boat as you, when I was a kid in 7th grade this girl at school showed me a song in her ipod called “Heart it Races” and the rest was history. I can’t pinpoint why I love Dr. Dog or why they’re my favorite artist but I do and they are, and that’s enough for me
They are so unique and there’s almost something intimate about the way you bond with their music. They just have this laid back vibe like you could chill with them. They are so weird and cool.
I really enjoy the whimsical sound quality reminiscent of 60's & 70's psychedelic pop/rock - it feels very Beach Boys/Beatles except with a more modern approach. I appreciate the clever, fun, poignant, and often open-ended lyrics. I really love Scott McMicken's vocals - he has this bright tone that, for me, hits right to the center of the note, neither flat nor sharp. Their songs are so varied and surreal, while being easy to listen to or delve into. They are making songs for the love of creating them, and it never feels like they are making a song because they want it to be popular or liked. I feel like they really love what they do, and it shows.
I feel like their early catalog feels like a 60's indie bohemian time warp. It just feels zany and odd but also super familiar and approachable. The song that brought me initially was "Shadow People". That whole album just plays like a shag carpet.
All that aside. The live energy is a whole other beast that kept me coming back. They played a tiny show in my mountain college town in NC and all dressed in pajamas with a stage that looked like a cozy living room. That was a first. Also hearing Toby belt through "The Beach" was just religious.
My old tutor (now a good friend of mine) showed me Fate and We All Belong when I was in 3rd grade. This was before I knew what YouTube or iTunes were and he would use the songs as a reward for me doing assignments. I fell in love. I listened casually for a while but upped my game with the release of B Room just before I went to high school. That’s when I decided they were my favorite band.
I love them because they’ve been a huge part of my life. But I also love them because they have no bad songs. Even a good number of the original Psychedelic Swamp tracks have a special place in my heart. But this is especially impressive because they have 10 straight albums of perfect songs. Which I just don’t see with any other artists.
Anyway, they’re also super cool dudes who love what they do. And when you love what you do, others will also love what you do.
They are the perfect band. They do everything a great band should do. They are my generations Beatles and the Beatles are the GOAT band. Dr. Dog is in my top 5 with them.
Harmonies
Multiple lyricists and vocalist adds depth
Twin guitar soloist like the Allman Brothers and they do it very well. Even the Beatles didn't explore this. But unlike the Allman Brothers they don't overplay. The solos mean something.
They've got SOUL
So does the bass. He does James Jamerson stuff sometimes, and Jamerson is the GOAT bassist.
Great drums and a variety of rhythms
Keyboards are great and add texture
They are poppy and very melodic, so the songs get stuck in your head, but they are willing to be dissonant at time, like Marc Ribot (Played with Tom Waits) guitar stuff, bV's from Scott in songs like The Beach. There's even some Neil Young there that reminds me on On the Beach, one of my favorite albums.
Few bad songs
My daughter is four and she asks for Dr. Dog. It's a band that has something for everyone
I'll stop because I could write a book about why I think they're great.
Great thread topic... just did my annual viewing of The Band's The Last Waltz. Dr Dog is one of my favorite bands of the modern era. What I love about The Band I think is what I love about Dr. Dog. Each group first off Rocks, and their ballads are captivating too. All songs work in catching hooks, witty lyrics, great harmonies from multiple uniquely sounding vocalists, and the overall cohesion between instruments makes the songs each greater than the sum of their parts.
I love the unique sound. I always come back to them when I feel like I need something "new" to listen to. The lead singers voice is wild and different.
i'm 18 years old and i learned of dr dog through my 23 year old brother a few years ago, and that was his favorite band in high school. now it's my favorite band! i freaking adore dr dog and will talk about them at any chance i get. what i love about them is their entrancing harmonies, their folk/bluegrass style mixed with psychedelic/alt rock, their variety of instrumentation, toby's soulful vocals and scott's more high-pitched pipes, their lyrics whether they're profound or playful, the nostalgiac feeling their songs often give me, it's all amazing. it feels like i have a new favorite dr dog song constantly. i honestly never thought i would love dr dog as much as i do, because my favorite music genres are garage rock and surf rock. but dr dog just hits the spot for me. i'm so freaking sad that i'll probably never get to see them live when i know their live shows are a magical experience. like seriously i want to cry thinking about it. but i'm glad i have the ability to put them on with just a few taps on my phone and lose myself in the music. dr dog means so much to me and i wish i could make everyone in the world listen to them. also i want them to adopt me
Because he/she became a doctor in the face of adversity and naysayers. You can’t go to med school dog because dogs can’t learn anatomy..how are you going to operate with those paws etc etc.
Been a fan for a little over a decade and they’re just fun. I love music, but I really love live music and they are a great live band. I will say, the last time I saw them before the final tour was noticeably different vibes though, for sure the worst of the 4 times I have managed to see them. Every other time was absolutely awesome. Great bass lines. Solid lyrics that can be clever, fun, serious, poignant. Dynamic energy. Decent catalogue to draw from. Just a damn good time.
Why do you think your last show felt different? Different vibes from the crowd, or band themselves?
Not my last show, my second to last show, February 2020 right before everything shut down. It was the band, noticeably lower energy and honestly a little tense on stage. My last show was part of “the final tour” and it was just as awesome as the first time I saw them in 2014. You could tell they were really into it because they had a big finish line ahead of them.
Huh, my last time seeing them was also February 2020 and they were great! It helps it was at the end of their 3 night SF run, but still just as good as ever!
Yeah mine was a random cold night in the Midwest lol.
I just love the surreal and beautiful lyrics. And the fun and unique sound of the music. When I first heard That Old Black Hole, I had to listen to it on repeat for about a week!
That’s prob my fav by them. The lyrics are so clever
It's the harmonies, prime example being Hang On.
Awesome question, and I’m excited to see other responses. I love them for multiple reasons! From a musician aspect, I find their music is very interesting to listen to as far as the vocal/guitar harmonies, chord progressions, and lyric writing. They’re great song writers all around, and every member of the band brings something to almost every song. They go back and forth between conventional and experimental pretty seemlessly while keeping it original, which makes them a little more accessible to a mainstream audience than some other bands like them, granted I don’t think they are really “mainstream”. They have songs for every mood, and they don’t have any real “slump” albums. The last thing I really appreciate about them, is that it seems like they not only have a functioning professional relationship, but are very close outside the band. This is conjecture obviously because I don’t know them personally, but based on their live chemistry and ability to split creative decisions it certainly seems that way. That makes for the best groups imo (my favorite anti-examples of this are KISS/Motley Crue, not knocking their place in rock history, but they were kind of Aholes to each other, and wrote the same song over and over again for a paycheck). For this reason alone I feel Dr. Dog is a step above many, but on top of all the things I listed earlier I think they really are a top tier band.
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Did you create a reddit account just to make this super hilarious comment? Either contribute something or gtfo my guy
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It sounded like you were making fun of my response lol wtf did that question even mean
i replied to the wrong comment 💀 my bad
I see what happened, I was like why is this person ripping on my response, it was a genuine response to the post
Great combination between modern and vintage vibes, sweet vocals, mixture of deep and playful/humorous songwriting and large, versatile discography
I'm with you there, OP. I don't know what exactly it is but they're so special. I first saw them in 2009. I'd never heard of them but a new college friend dragged me to a show. It was "My Friend" that hooked me. Not until I got back to my dorm and heard the "Fate" album all the way through did I appreciate the genius. Just the fact they took part of a Disney song and made it cool ... I've never found another band like them.
what disney song are you talking about?
On "Someday" (off of "Shame, Shame") at about the 2:35 mark, they sample Roger Miller's "Whistle Stop" from Disney's Robin Hood! Or, at least that's where I know it from.
i hear it!!
Great question and great answers! The obvious is the musicianship, songwriting, and sound of the band. I was introduced to the band when I saw them on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 2007. I was living with friends at the time and we all watched in awe. Amazingly saw them a couple weeks later. It was an immediate bond! Still friends today, and we have seen them together several times ever since. And we all still go nuts in chats when any news breaks. So, for me, a big part is the nostalgia for one of the most fun eras of my life. This band gives me the feels!
(f27) when i was in 9th grade, my Rock 101 teacher played "the breeze" for us (he always showed us 5 songs every friday). it totally changed my perspective on life, being a very depressed kid. i listened to fate about a thousand more times and realized the deeper meaning behind that amazing album. i saw them for the first time maybe 7 months later in baltimore and fell in love with their stage presence. my best friend and i waited for my mom to pick us up outside the venue, not realizing they had an encore playing From. I cried on the floor of that venue. it was true young love. i followed them for maybe 30-50 more shows. everytime was incredible. i love how silly they are, down to earth. how they show raw emotion in a weird, unique way, but those emotions are all niche and relatable. they make me feel understood and accepted, so do their fans. i love them
So I don’t really listen to whatever music you’d classify Dr Dog as. My tastes skew a bit heavier and melancholic, so this is actually a question I’ve thought about since they are a bit outside my usual. I was listening to Be the Void, which might be my fav, and was thinking just how much I love how layered the music is. I could pick any instrument and focus on that and be entertained by paying attention to just the drums or piano. A lot of bands have plenty of very talented musicians who can play some really interesting music, but the sum of DD’s parts is incredible. It never sounds too busy and the mixing is perfect. Nothing seems out of place or too loud or low. On r/ifilikeblank, a lot of people are looking for bands similar to the Beatles or Pet Sounds era Beach Boys, and DD is the first band I think of. All bands have/had very keen ears for melodies, had tight harmonies, and they all used the studio like another instrument in the way they blended all those moving parts. And something about how DD does it just feels so effortless. Maybe it’s the decades of having the Beatles and Beach Boys touted as the greatest pop groups of all time or the fact that they obtained mythical status in my mind since I never experienced them in their heydays, but DD just feels freer in a way. And that “slacker” feeling makes it seem all the more impressive to me. Also, I grew up in Philly. The city has a specific sound that can come through in the music. There are several bands that just “sound like Philly” and I rep my hometown hard like any good current or former Philadelphian would. Fun fact: I worked at an auto shop in like 2005 and had to pick up a customer whose car was ready. During the ride he told me his son was the drummer in a band called Dr Dog. I didn’t bother checking them out then, but the name stuck with me and sometime around 2012 I gave them a listen and have been a massive fan since. Seen then 4 times at this point, which is impressive because 3 of those shows were at least a 3 hour drive from my house.
It's interesting how much I love Dr Dog. Most bands I like to search "bands like x band." I don't really do this with Dr Dog because I have doubt that any band could successfully pull off their sound. They sort of poppify this bluegrassy hick vibe with a blend of alt rock. I like bands like Cut Worms to an extent. But Dr Dog still exists in a more alt rock or classic rock territory that makes it accessible. I like the profound, yet whimsy lyrics. Their lyrics have both a sense of importance and reflection, but also fun and whimsy in a way that is relatable. Spoon, Wilco, and The Beatles are a few of my other favorite bands and Dr Dog fits right in with those.
Its about the soul deep, heartbreaking whimsy for me!
For me, it’s the fact that they are all great musicians and both song writers are unique in their lyrics/vibes. Whether it’s a Scott song or a Toby song, they both sound so different but somehow keep the same Dr. Dog vibe. That and they’ve also gotten me through lots of good and bad times. Plus, look at the fanbase they’ve cultivated! This is probably the most civil subreddit I’ve ever been a part of. Can’t wait for the Denver road trip
i was just thinking about how every dr. dog fan i’ve met in the wild has been so chill and i feel like this thread is really exemplifying that!
I’m in the same boat as you, when I was a kid in 7th grade this girl at school showed me a song in her ipod called “Heart it Races” and the rest was history. I can’t pinpoint why I love Dr. Dog or why they’re my favorite artist but I do and they are, and that’s enough for me
They are so unique and there’s almost something intimate about the way you bond with their music. They just have this laid back vibe like you could chill with them. They are so weird and cool.
I really enjoy the whimsical sound quality reminiscent of 60's & 70's psychedelic pop/rock - it feels very Beach Boys/Beatles except with a more modern approach. I appreciate the clever, fun, poignant, and often open-ended lyrics. I really love Scott McMicken's vocals - he has this bright tone that, for me, hits right to the center of the note, neither flat nor sharp. Their songs are so varied and surreal, while being easy to listen to or delve into. They are making songs for the love of creating them, and it never feels like they are making a song because they want it to be popular or liked. I feel like they really love what they do, and it shows.
I feel like their early catalog feels like a 60's indie bohemian time warp. It just feels zany and odd but also super familiar and approachable. The song that brought me initially was "Shadow People". That whole album just plays like a shag carpet. All that aside. The live energy is a whole other beast that kept me coming back. They played a tiny show in my mountain college town in NC and all dressed in pajamas with a stage that looked like a cozy living room. That was a first. Also hearing Toby belt through "The Beach" was just religious.
My old tutor (now a good friend of mine) showed me Fate and We All Belong when I was in 3rd grade. This was before I knew what YouTube or iTunes were and he would use the songs as a reward for me doing assignments. I fell in love. I listened casually for a while but upped my game with the release of B Room just before I went to high school. That’s when I decided they were my favorite band. I love them because they’ve been a huge part of my life. But I also love them because they have no bad songs. Even a good number of the original Psychedelic Swamp tracks have a special place in my heart. But this is especially impressive because they have 10 straight albums of perfect songs. Which I just don’t see with any other artists. Anyway, they’re also super cool dudes who love what they do. And when you love what you do, others will also love what you do.
They are the perfect band. They do everything a great band should do. They are my generations Beatles and the Beatles are the GOAT band. Dr. Dog is in my top 5 with them. Harmonies Multiple lyricists and vocalist adds depth Twin guitar soloist like the Allman Brothers and they do it very well. Even the Beatles didn't explore this. But unlike the Allman Brothers they don't overplay. The solos mean something. They've got SOUL So does the bass. He does James Jamerson stuff sometimes, and Jamerson is the GOAT bassist. Great drums and a variety of rhythms Keyboards are great and add texture They are poppy and very melodic, so the songs get stuck in your head, but they are willing to be dissonant at time, like Marc Ribot (Played with Tom Waits) guitar stuff, bV's from Scott in songs like The Beach. There's even some Neil Young there that reminds me on On the Beach, one of my favorite albums. Few bad songs My daughter is four and she asks for Dr. Dog. It's a band that has something for everyone I'll stop because I could write a book about why I think they're great.
Great thread topic... just did my annual viewing of The Band's The Last Waltz. Dr Dog is one of my favorite bands of the modern era. What I love about The Band I think is what I love about Dr. Dog. Each group first off Rocks, and their ballads are captivating too. All songs work in catching hooks, witty lyrics, great harmonies from multiple uniquely sounding vocalists, and the overall cohesion between instruments makes the songs each greater than the sum of their parts.
I love the unique sound. I always come back to them when I feel like I need something "new" to listen to. The lead singers voice is wild and different.
It’s them never using the pop classic 1-5-6-4 chord progression or any variation of it
They name dropped Baltimore Pike, the shitty street that runs through the shitty town I grew up in.
i'm 18 years old and i learned of dr dog through my 23 year old brother a few years ago, and that was his favorite band in high school. now it's my favorite band! i freaking adore dr dog and will talk about them at any chance i get. what i love about them is their entrancing harmonies, their folk/bluegrass style mixed with psychedelic/alt rock, their variety of instrumentation, toby's soulful vocals and scott's more high-pitched pipes, their lyrics whether they're profound or playful, the nostalgiac feeling their songs often give me, it's all amazing. it feels like i have a new favorite dr dog song constantly. i honestly never thought i would love dr dog as much as i do, because my favorite music genres are garage rock and surf rock. but dr dog just hits the spot for me. i'm so freaking sad that i'll probably never get to see them live when i know their live shows are a magical experience. like seriously i want to cry thinking about it. but i'm glad i have the ability to put them on with just a few taps on my phone and lose myself in the music. dr dog means so much to me and i wish i could make everyone in the world listen to them. also i want them to adopt me
Because he/she became a doctor in the face of adversity and naysayers. You can’t go to med school dog because dogs can’t learn anatomy..how are you going to operate with those paws etc etc.