Dr. Dog Has A Home in Cambridge

If it weren’t for the type of constant touring that makes cities seem like a blur upon memory, Dr. Dog would probably have as much to say about Mark Sandman Square as many of the scenesters grabbing slices at HiFi. This corner of Brookline St and Mass. Ave in Cambridge’s Central Square has become an epicenter for hipsters, artists, belly dancers, and touring bands thanks to The Middle East and TT the Bear’s Place. In the past year, Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog could have been mistaken for a local band with their slew of supporting slots in Central Square. Last Wednesday, they got to test out the sound of the Middle East Upstairs as the headliner, and to bring their Park the Van friends, The Teeth, with them.

The Teeth’s latest, Carry the Wood, displays a surprising maturity for a band with only a few lo-fi eps under their belt. Excellent songs like “So Long” and “Oh Bessie!” display just how far along The Teeth are in their development (rooted in the childhood friendship of singing brothers Peter and Aaron MoDavis and guitarist Brian Ashby). With Bowie-like theatrics and Of Montreal campiness, Carry the Wood is a promising sign that a full-length album will be an exciting listen. Co-songwriter Aaron informed Bostonist that he hopes such an endeavor will be recorded and out later this year. We’ll look for it. While gaining this knowledge from The Teeth, Bostonist also had the opportunity to chat about live shows, and more specifically, James Brown. The conversation inevitably lead to the infamous expectations The Godfather of Soul placed on his band, which resulted in fines and projectiles for unpolished shoes or missed notes. This was the perfect time for Dr. Dog to take the stage.

Dr. Dog is nothing like James Brown. Their performances might never be referred to as “tight,” which is actually to their credit and to the audience’s pleasure. Singers Scott McMicken (guitar) and Toby Leaman (bass) simply enjoy playing these songs too much to stay still behind a mic stand. Not that the packed crowd was subjected to a batch of miscues and unintentional flares of feedback; with the exception of a late broken string, there weren’t any bad notes to be, well, noted. Instead, all five members took part in singing at different times (and frequently at the same time) and rightfully, no one seemed to be under pressure to hit every note at the expense of enjoying the larger experience of the show. These are the types of experiences Bostonist goes to shows for. Dr. Dog’s philosophy seems simple: if everyone onstage is amused, everyone offstage is likely to follow suit.

Their most official release, Easy Beat, sounds like The Beatles or The Band unwound at different speeds. While conservative listeners might pass off the record as a White Album music box with a temperamental hand crank, their live show took on a fullness of sound that is not only consistent, but also their very own. Songs like “Say Something” and “Oh No” went from charming (on record) to absolutely exciting (live). Scott’s voice breathed a little more, and his expressive guitar playing paired with guitarist Frank McElroy kept their songs more boisterous than recorded versions that opt for acoustic guitars and plenty of space.

Opener “Say Something” was a nice introduction, with its build-up and memorable refrain (“Where are you going crazy?/In your mind or in every inch of your body?”). It sounds like Wayne Coyne trying to get a song onto Abbey Road and has continually grown on Bostonist with each listen to Easy Beat. “The World May Never Know” has a bouncy Paul McCartney piano and beat. It was delightful watching drummer Tiger Stens looking pretty while punching this one out. “Oh No” had a playful guitar hook that perfectly punctuated this chugging feel-good song that felt even better live, especially when all five band members joined in for the closing wordless chorus. The Toby Leaman-led “Wake Up” was the logical finale that it presents itself to be on the album. With a very loose encore sung by Zack Miller, who traded keyboards for guitar when the band returned to the stage, Dr. Dog gave their home-away-from-hometown crowd just the right mix of imperfection and harmony for a satisfying experience all around.

Review and photos contributed by Michael Walker