Dr. Dog

Dr. Dog has been compared to hipster faves like Pavement and Guided by Voices (which does no justice to the Dog's genuinely adorable '70s AM soul), but the late Rick Danko himself would've loved Philadelphia's current indie darlings: lo-fi keyboards, bass and thick drums make a bed for sentimental, earnest "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" guitar-led melodies and quirky vocals that recall the most playful moments of Dylan's legendary Basement Tapes. And what tucks it all in is the wishful lament of Dr. Dog's poesy. From "I don't need no doctor to mend my heart/I just need you to mend my heart" to "If you're always on the go/Make an angel in the snow and freeze," the lyrics of Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken featured on this summer's Fate hit a soft spot. The lovable new album has catapulted Dr. Dog from East Coast underdogs whose biggest fans were other musicians to a group lauded by fans and critics all over.