Dr. Dog Finds Power with Peace on Latest LP Critical Equation (KEXP Premiere)

Of any active band out there, Dr. Dog is maybe one of the last you can accuse of “sleeping on the job.” Eight albums, four EPs, and a seemingly countless number of shows and tours over the 16 years don’t lie. Over that time, the band’s pushed their own sonic boundaries from psychedelic mind-melters to country romps. As time has progressed, the band has collected more and more from their ventures, bubbling it all up in their life-affirming, maximalist live performances. But on Critical Equation, their latest album out April 27 on Thirty Tigers, the band takes a moment to breathe and mellow out.

Don’t let the word “mellow” disway you. It was a necessary step that manifests itself beautifully on the LP. “The more I go along in life and make music, the more I realize that overworking is not always what’s best for the music,” guitarist Scott McMicken told Billboard of the record earlier this year. By pulling some elements back, the band is able to showcase their knack for deeply moving and resonate songwriting. Songs like “Night” beam with a stripped-down tenderness unlike anything else previously in their discography. Even opener “Listening In” sees each member holding themselves back for the betterment of the song. The band uses restraint as a strength and sounds at the top of their game while doing it.

Stream the album in full below.