Dr. Dog Shame, Shame

"There was this feeling inside me going into making this record that we'd never made an album before," says guitarist/vocalist Scott McMicken of Dr. Dog's Shame, Shame, their Anti- debut, originally released in 2010, and the first album made outside the safe confines of their home studio. Having evolved from a band whose primary creative outlet was the album-making process into one that favored the energy of their live performances, they knew they wanted to document the new dynamic they had developed on the road. Producer Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliott Smith) was brought in to help peel back the intricate arrangements of last album Fate to reveal the raw immediacy of a tight five-man unit honing their craft. Dr. Dog has created a song cycle of doubt and despair, bookended with the woozily swirling harmonies of Leaman's lonely opener "Stranger" and the harsh self-critique of the title track, a gnarled admission that sometimes it's best to admit your mistakes and move on. Their most openly autobiographical release, ranging from McMicken's exploration of West Philly underlife in "Shadow People" to his account of two soulbearing late night conversations in "Jackie Wants a Black Eye," Shame, Shame is an album whose dark themes are soothed by bright harmonies, taut guitar riffs, and soaring melodies.