Photo Credit: Wyndham Garnett
Last month, Dr. Dog tested the waters, dipping its toes back into the scene with their first delivery of new music since 2019, a stand-alone single, “Still Can’t Believe.” As a follow-up, the Philadelphia band provided context to the previous release, unveiling its position on their impending track list for a new self-titled set, the group’s first full-length album in six years, Dr. Dog, due July 19, 2024. Delivered alongside today’s announcement is “Talk Is Cheap” and its official music video.
“Talk Is Cheap” is a reintroduction to the beloved band after a break from their music-making endeavors. Entering a new era of collective creative output, the single embodies the essence of the entire collection, which preserves the ensemble’s ability to shift its sonic approach and ricochet from cool and calm surf-rock vibes to a stir of symphonic pop that culls listens with a laidback spirit that breaks the confines of background noise in favor of a deeper ken.
“It’s a song about my wife and how much I rely on her, how she’s always there for me. It’s funny because I’m not a big love-song guy, but everything I wrote on this album is for her,” explained bassist Toby Leaman, touching on his individualized intent. Bouncing with instrumentals harnessed to 20 years of experience, “Talk Is Cheap” is more than one man’s vision; rather, the spontaneity, connectivity, and amalgamation of shared devotion as visualized in the official music video.
Optically coalescing Dr. Dog’s collective experience, the Wyndham Garnett-directed music video picks up the group’s story of renewal after journeying to Leaman’s uncle’s Pennsylvania cabin. Ultimately, the dwelling was transformed into a session space (as captured on video) and an ideal hideout for making the record, which was created in three distinct phases. “For this record, there was an emphasis on creating something very soulful and live-feeling, which meant starting with all of us looking each other in the eye and connecting to the music,” says Scott McMicken.
“The idea was, ‘Let’s be loose, let’s not overthink.’ The more you can let go of that fear of being imperfect, the more you open yourself up to deeper expression,” he explained, alluding to the process involving an 8-track tape machine with no rehearsals or overdubs. Tracking over two dozen songs at the cabin, the band returned home, adding new textures to the free-flowing recordings. Ultimately, they reconvened at a Philly studio to review and revise their creations, finalizing their output with the addition of their signature five-part harmony.
“I knew that the music was only going to be as good as the process and that the process would be defined by our support for one another,” McMicken added. “That meant learning to understand each other in new ways and recognizing how we’ve all evolved, rather than holding onto old ideas of what we used to be.”
Pre-order Dr. Dog now. Scroll down to watch the official music video for “Talk Is Cheap.”
Dr. Dog Tracklist:
1. Authority
2. Lost Ones
3. Fat Dog
4. Talk Is Cheap
5. What a Night’ll Do
6. Tell Your Friends
7. Still Can’t Believe
8. Fine White Lies
9. White Dove
10. Handyman
11. Love Struck