WE ALL BELONG (2007) was Dr. Dog's fourth album but the first to garner widespread attention. FATE builds on the strengths of its immediate predecessor. Songs such as the playful, nursery rhyme-like "The Old Days" and the swirling, richly arranged psychedelia of "Army of Ancients" fit beautifully next to more familiar material such as the loose-limbed shuffle "My Friend," making FATE sound like a logical progression for the Philadelphia combo rather than a calculated bid for mainstream attention. FATE is available as a digital download, a standard CD, and a vinyl LP. (A special pre-order edition included both the CD and the LP, plus a bonus seven-inch single with two songs, "The Dearly Departed" and "Is It Worth My Time?" a t-shirt and a variety of stickers.)

Dr. Dog have been steadily refining their sound since the unexpected success of Easy Beat, and Fate continues that trend. They've still got all the right classic rock moves, clever production ideas, and the ragged-but-right vocals and bouncy bass of Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken's tough guitar and sweet vocals. It sounds much like We All Belong, but this time out there are also some really nice string and horn arrangements and a bit more utilization of studio production. But a nice studio can be a double-edged sword. The songs sound great, but at times it seems that the detail and adornment are more important than the songs (most noticeably on the opener, which is nearly swallowed by backing vocals). The sound effects that link the songs and clumsy tape edits seem a tad forced (as if to replace some of the genuine weirdness on some of Easy Beat), and some of the titles and lyrical themes seem recycled from We All Belong. That being said, Fate is still a thoroughly enjoyable album from a fine band. ~ Sean Westergaard