Park the Van Records
2007
We All Belong
About This Album
The left-field success of Easy Beat meant that expectations were high for Dr. Dog's follow-up album, We All Belong. As a result, they probably could have brought in a big-name producer and booked time in a fancy studio. Fortunately, about the only thing that changed from one album to the other is a move from eight-track to 24-track recording. Yes, the songs are tightened up a bit and yes, some of the rougher edges have been smoothed out. They've also toned down the weirdness factor some (but not entirely). But these subtle changes do little to detract from the rough charm they've shown all along. It's clear that these guys think the feel of the take is more important than perfection, giving the album a loose feel throughout even though all the vocal harmonies and backing vox are spot-on (that's where all the extra tracks really pay off). And they're still their own best producer, too. All the backing vocals and harmonies are sparkling and meticulous, but the lead vocals and musical performances are the sound of real guys with real instruments playing together in the moment. Then there are the little details like the creeping reverb on the piano on "My Old Ways," the grimy sound of "The Girl," and the weird film-projector sound on "Die, Die, Die.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,9 and 11)

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