Dr. Dog is an indie band out of Philadelphia. Their new album Fate is their fifth, but their first on a new label (Park the Van). It feels like a breakthrough. And it may be my favorite album of the year.

Dr. Dog - FateThey’re usually called “psychedelic” but that doesn’t quite get it. It’s more like the Beatles meets doo-wop meets blue-eyed soul, played in a dingy garage after a six pack and a joint. There’s a ramshackle, open-hearted quality to it that’s incredibly endearing (to me anyway). And it’s catchy as hell. I’ve been singing the album everywhere I go for weeks.

These guys are definitely next on my list of must-see live shows. This song, “My Friend,” is actually two songs mooshed together back to back (I know not why). They’re both great.

Bonus video, for a song called “Hang On”: