Tapes on the Floor's Favorite Tracks of 2012 (Pt. I)

Can you feel that chill in the air? It must be time for the annual flurry of year-end lists. Following the precedent I set forth with last year's volley of meticulously annotated inventories, I'll be presenting my 40 favorite tracks of 2012 in two parts, followed by a list of my favorite albums released over the past year. I'll also be including the obligatory Spotify playlists for those of you who would prefer to listen to music instead of reading about it.

Album Review: Dr. Dog "Shame, Shame"

Dr. Dog's newest release, entitled Shame, Shame opens up with a song called "Stranger" which contains the line "I do believe / that there's no more tricks up my sleeve". If this is to be interpreted as a comment on the group's musical prowess, then it's abundantly clear to me that they spend the rest of the record proving this statement wrong. Shame Shame is the band's first release since leaving Park the Van records, a label they arguably helped to establish. Now signed to the larger label Anti-, Shame, Shame can be seen not only as a jumping on point for new listeners, but a continuation of the same brand of sonic exploration that Dr. Dog has been engaging in for years.

As with past records, the band is at their best when they're laying down their own brand of upbeat, catchy rock and roll. "Where Did All The Time Go?" exemplifies this to the greatest effect, buoyed by its soaring vocal harmonies and layered guitars. This is equally true with bouncy 70s throwbacks like "Shadow People" and "Mirror, Mirror". However, the group is just as effective when the tempo slows down. Nowhere is this more poignant than on "Station", a song that references the band's long stretches on the road with the lyric "I'll be back again this time next year". The fatigue is palpable, conveyed through the alt-country arrangement and strained vocals.

On Shame, Shame, Dr. Dog strip away some of the studio sheen, revealing a band that has paid its dues and is all the better for it. The record walks a fine line, both reveling in the sounds of the past, but also introducing a new, more mature side of the group. It's an exercise in transition and, contrary to the name, there's certainly no shame in that.

Live Review: Dr. Dog @ The Newport

I've missed out on seeing Dr. Dog far too many time over the past few years, so Friday night's show at the Newport was an event that was a long time coming, to say the least. That being said, I walked in to this show not really expecting to be blown away. I'm a big fan of the group's past two records, We All Belong and Fate, but based on the unique production and sound of those two albums, I always pegged Dr. Dog as more of a studio band. Needless to say, I was proved wrong several times over by the time they left the stage.

The band wasted no time in starting the night out on a high note, blazing through a riffed-out rendition of "Worst Trip". All the highlights from their recent back-catalog were represented from the Beatles-esque pop-jangle of "The Girl" to the more soulful strains of "The Ark". However, I think my favorite aspect of Dr. Dog's live show was hearing how the group re-worked the instrumentation of their songs. The live versions of some tracks took on a totally different style than their studio counterparts, relying mainly upon tight unison guitar work that called to mind the instrumental interplay of bands like Built to Spill. Also of note was the band's vocal prowess; all the harmonies were spot on, with no in-ear monitors in sight.

The group debuted a few tracks from their upcoming record Shame, Shame, although not the lead single "Shadow People" which showed up on Stereogum last week. The group has said that the new record is an attempt to capture the energy of their live shows on tape, so if the reaction to the material they played at the Newport is any indication, this certainly bodes well for the album. Shame, Shame hits April 6 via Anti- Records, and the group will be touring throughout spring in support. If you have any misconceptions about how great these guys are live, go check them out. They'll prove you wrong and, like me, you'll enjoy every minute of it.