It’s been a while since we heard from Dr. Dog, Philly’s own emissaries of good vibes for the world over. Turns out, they’ve been really busy (as usual). Their new album, Shame, Shame, will be out on April 6th (their first record for Anti-, home to Alec Ounsworth, Man Man and some guy named Tom Waits), and with it the attendant tour dates and TV appearances (Jimmy Fallon on April 6, Jimmy Kimmel on April 28). Tracks are starting to leak from Shame, Shame — already being praised as the band’s most accessible release to date — and one track that leaked last month on Stereogum, “Shadow People,” is especially worth a listen, extra-especially if you live west of 30th Street Station. According to guitarist/vocalist Scott McMicken, it’s a meditation on West Philly and, frankly, how exhausting the neighborhood can be sometimes. (We wouldn’t know anything about that.) Granted, it’s not a total bummer — in fact, it mostly paints a portrait of West Philly a lovably eccentric place — and it’s also worth a listen as it may point out a new turn for the group’s tunes: We’re having a hard time thinking of Dr. Dog songs with this strong a narrative or sense of place. Dig it:

Meanwhile, Dr. Dog will return to Philly to play the Electric Factory on May 13th. In between then and now, there’s a whole lotta road.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 1:40 pm.