"There's a little folk, blues, indie rock, soul, bluegrass--and a whole lot of down-home harmonizing. It conjures images of old friends sitting on a porch swapping instruments and just letting the tape recorder run." - Doug Wallen
Dr. Dog has been creating music in various incarnations for four years now. Beginning with The Psychedelic Swamp, a concept album realized in the damp ruin of a flooded basement with waterlogged guitars and a digital delay pedal, the band has simmered on the back burner of our musical lives for most of its existence but we've recently renewed our resolve to forge ahead and give Dr. Dog the attention we think it deserves.
Although Dr. Dog has as many as 20 honorary "members" who have assisted in various (mostly spiritual) capacities through the years, the core of the band consists of five musicians. Our standard instrumentation includes two guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and three part harmonies. The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Tom Waits, David Bowie and Neil Young are influences, but we would be remiss in not acknowledging our debt to Pavement, Palace Brothers, R. Stevie Moore or Roy Wood.
Currently, the lineup is as such: Toby Leaman on bass and singing, Scott McMicken on woof+mud distortion solo guitar and voice, Frank McElroy on lean clean occasionally tremolo'd guitar, Zach Miller on keyboard(s) and Eric Slick on drums.
We've all done our share of playing. Toby and Scott have played together in a myriad of bands including Raccoon, Unleash the Bastards, and Beard; Andrew played bass in Raccoon and managed the phenomenal The Teeth; Zach has played with Bradford Trojan and Traffic Jam and studied jazz guitar.
Aside from the aforementioned Swamp album - a self-produced, self-recorded low-fi four track recording - we have two other recordings. Toothbrush is a compilation of fourth generation eight-track recordings culled from the past few years. Easy Beat was the first proper record, followed by the 2006 EP Takers and Leavers and two full-length albums, 2006's We All Belong and 2008's Fate. The latest release is called Shame, Shame, and was released April 6th, 2010.
The Sound
Dr. Dog Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel like I'm going to die
All around, I hear the wind
Another dust storm now begins
The wild dogs scream from the hills
Looking for their latest kill
The rattlesnakes like pools of stone
And I just sit here alone
Where everything gives me a fright
The sound of silence deafens me
Filled with dread and agony
The wild dogs scream from the hills
Looking for their latest kill
The rattlesnakes like pools of stone
And I just sit here alone
The wild dogs scream from the hills
Looking for their latest kill
The rattlesnakes like pools of stone
And I just sit here alone
In Dr. Dog's song "The Sound," the lyrics paint a picture of a desolate and lonely landscape filled with fear and paranoia. The opening lines, "Another day is going by, Feel like I'm going to die," set a tone of desperation and hopelessness. The singer of the song feels as though time is slipping away and death is imminent.
The mention of a dust storm and the howling of wild dogs suggest a harsh and unforgiving environment. The dogs' screams symbolize the predatory nature of the world around the singer, as they are constantly searching for their next kill. Similarly, the rattlesnakes described as "pools of stone" further emphasize the danger and stillness of the surroundings.
The lyrics also convey a sense of isolation and alienation. The repetition of the line "And I just sit here alone" highlights the singer's solitary existence. They are trapped in their own thoughts and emotions, unable to escape the deafening silence that surrounds them.
Overall, "The Sound" presents a bleak and haunting landscape, where the singer feels overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of their environment. It explores themes of mortality, fear, and the overwhelming sense of being alone in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Another day is going by
Time is passing and each day feels mundane and unfulfilling
Feel like I'm going to die
I am overwhelmed by a sense of despair and hopelessness
All around, I hear the wind
The eerie sound of the wind amplifies the loneliness and desolation
Another dust storm now begins
An unsettling occurrence reminds me of the chaotic nature of life
The wild dogs scream from the hills
A metaphor for the predatory nature of the world, constantly seeking dominance and prey
Looking for their latest kill
Driven by survival instincts, the dogs relentlessly search for prey
The rattlesnakes like pools of stone
The snakes remain motionless, symbolizing the lurking dangers and threats
And I just sit here alone
Feeling isolated and disconnected from the world, trapped in my own thoughts
Another well lit starry night
The beauty of the night sky contrasts with my inner turmoil, intensifying my fears
Where everything gives me a fright
Even the smallest things evoke fear and anxiety within me
The sound of silence deafens me
The absence of noise becomes oppressive, amplifying my feelings of emptiness
Filled with dread and agony
Overwhelmed by a deep sense of foreboding and intense emotional pain
The wild dogs scream from the hills
The predatory nature of the world continues to haunt and unsettle me
Looking for their latest kill
Driven by their instincts, the dogs persistently seek out victims
The rattlesnakes like pools of stone
The motionless snakes serve as a reminder of the lurking dangers and uncertainties
And I just sit here alone
I remain isolated and detached, grappling with my own thoughts and emotions
The wild dogs scream from the hills
The predatory nature of the world persists, intensifying my sense of vulnerability
Looking for their latest kill
The dogs continue their relentless pursuit of prey, fueled by their survival instincts
The rattlesnakes like pools of stone
Unmoving and poised to strike, the snakes symbolize constant looming threats
And I just sit here alone
Feeling trapped and isolated, unable to escape the overwhelming darkness
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Brian Gaudet
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind