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|| The Campus || February 17, 2012
[Features]
www.AlleghenyCampus.com
Features editors: Molly Duerig, Katie McHugh || features@alleghenycampus.com
Dr. Dog album a pleasant, indie folk surprise By CODY MILLER Music Reviewer millerc3@allegheny.edu
I’ll be completely honest – I’ve never particularly cared for Dr. Dog. There was always something about these college rock folkies I found irksome – maybe it was that their folksiness seemed so contrived or that the vocal duo between bassist Toby Leaman and electric guitarist Scott McMicken never really worked within the sphere of their psychedelic, folksy baroque pop. Or perhaps, most importantly, it was that the band hid behind this veil of psychedelic folk to begin with. To me, they always projected the illusion of originality – sonic tinkering galore, the oftused low-fi ‘sheen,’ heavenly, pitch-perfect baroque pop harmonies. In many ways, this veil was caustic to the band’s past material in that the core of their work on Fate and to a lesser extent, Shame, Shame sounded rather vapid. Yet, color me surprised! Not only have these Western Pennsylvania indie rockers crafted something actually substantive, they have also managed to deliver what is unexpectedly one of the finest albums so far this year. Be the Void, Dr. Dog’s seventh album, channels the same psychedelic tinkering found in the band’s previous work. But behind the tinkering is a collection of twelve songs
that are rustic, effortless, lucid, and above all, absolutely infectious. The Creedence Clearwater Revival-esque, swamp rock on the opener “Lonesome,” evokes images of lackadaisical summer days. However, it also sounds and liberating, paradoxically carrying with it the same spirit of Son House and Stephen Malkmus. It is an intriguing, peculiar combination, but the piece sounds so unrefined that the fusion sounds like it was leisurely stumbled upon. There is a certain halcyon aura underlying these pieces that sometimes forces one to smile. Emblematic of this, “Do the Trick” ends with a succulent, catchy motif bolstered by a gliding, supple vocal harmony. The direction of the track, and really of the entire album, seems to be instinctive. It’s not that what they are doing is in, any way, revolutionary – we’ve heard the indie-folk harmony spiel before (see Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, etc.). It’s just that few bands can sound this organic or this effortless, in the way that Dr. Dog manages on Be the Void. Dr. Dog takes their psychedelic rock influences, and in lieu of hiding behind them, channels them into memorable and remarkable compositions. It marks an evolution in the band’s songwriting, first seen on their previous work Shame, Shame.
For the first time, the band has now managed to sound inspired without seemingly like a cheap facsimile of these influences. This album is the sound of a band finally locking into their stride then unabashedly and swiftly running. In light of some of this year’s releases, it’s refreshing to see a band that knows it’s limits. “These Days” immediately hits with a Strokes-influenced garage rock riff and a dynamically rising verse before breaking into a frantic mini-epic of an ending. Everything sounds tight and calculated, as if the band has locked into a thudding, rhythmic groove. The track is joyous and triumphant, but it also never makes the mistake of sounding pretentious. It’s a track that could have easily been derided by clouted, misguided ambition. Not to say that ambition or grandiosity are bad, but rather that they are appropriate within certain contexts. It takes a good songsmith to realize this – and that is exactly what Dr. Dog has done on this album. I’ll never assert that what Dr. Dog has done is revolutionary. But, then again, not everything piece of music needs to be groundbreaking. What they have done however is release a collection of pieces that resonate with rawness rarely seen in modern indie pop.
Be the Void Dr. Dog
SCORE: 85/100
Did you miss us? ‘Safe House’ stands
The Campus’ sudoku puzzles are back! Can you solve them?
as action film staple By BEN DAUBER Movie Reviewer dauberb@allegheny.edu
Ryan Reynolds has finally left his Van Wilder roots behind. He and Denzel struck espionage silver in “Safe House.” I say silver because although Reynolds created a believable CIA agent aura, he’s still no Jason Bourne. Denzel, on the other hand, was predictably phenomenal as the enigmatic and extremely dangerous Tobin Frost, the exCIA double agent that drives the film. Although the CIA doublecrossing conspiracy film genre has been milked harder than any of us feel comfortable with, “Safe House” packs enough star power, shoot-outs and spy mystique to earn a solid B/B+. If you sat down and really thought about the plot of this film you would realize that it’s predictable as all hell, but when actually watching, the star power and loud noises help you to forget about all that. Reynolds is a rookie CIA agent (if there is such a thing) stationed in Cape Town, South Africa, when disavowed wanted man and ebony box office magician Denzel Washington lands in his lap. What ensues is like a hybrid of “Training Day” and “The Bourne Ultimatum.” That’s really the best way to describe it. Denzel does his thing just like always. Reynolds shows that he’s got some chops as he sheds a few tears and kicks a little ass. The most rewarding aspect of the film is the sort of begrudging mentor-like relationship that develops between Reynolds and Washington. For the most part, the film remains somewhat on the superficial side of entertainment (car chases, spy intrigue, etc.) but the director chose to delve a bit deeper when it came to the relationship between the
two stars. Although director Daniel Espinosa did not make his Alist debut with this film, he did a very solid job handling both his actors and the spy-film context, which can easily become convoluted or just plain boring if you’re not careful. The runtime of 115 minutes gives the film adequate time to develop but doesn’t leave you running for the door when the credits roll like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and the like. The main success of the film is in moderation. It had all the raw materials to make a solid flick, and Es-
pinosa did a great job stepping aside and letting the story tell itself. When it comes down to it, the film delivers what it sets out to. Excellent actors in a highbudget environment with some high caliber action and the added bonus of some character development make the film a solid Saturday night watch. If you are fan of either actor, it’s a must see. If you’re a fan of action, you’re gonna see it anyway. And if you’re bored, then you should certainly consider seeing “Safe House.”
Courtesy of Collider.com