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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Fate
by Dr. Dog
This is the fifth album for the indie-rock band from Philadelphia.
| LABEL: |
Park the Van |
| RELEASE DATE: |
22 July 2008 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Rock, Indie |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
93
Filter
What Dr. Dog and its principal songwriters McMicken and Toby Leaman have done is carry on a tradition of soulful writing and musicianship. [Summer, 2008, p.90]
91
Entertainment Weekly
Strict modernists may chafe at the band's unapologetically backward-glancing aesthetic, but the rest should happily succumb to the shaggy charm of Fate's easy-like-Sunday-morning ramblings.
80
Billboard
Thoughtfully added complexities and musicality, like the horns and honky-tonk pianos that accent 'Army of Ancients,' bring Dr. Dog's now-familiar style to a new level of maturity and prove it's not just destiny bringing the band its success
80
Delusions of Adequacy
Ultimately, this is a winner and though it may not offer the new, revelatory sounds and styles that some were hoping, in the end it wins out because of its heart.
80
Hartford Courant
The Philadelphia group's fifth full-length release has a musical richness and depth of songwriting that weren't fully present on Dr. Dog's somewhat less-focused earlier music, though there were hints on "Easy Beat" in 2005 and "We All Belong" in 2007.
80
Village Voice
Highlights of Fate coming back 'round one last time give satisfying closure, but also tease what's coming when it's inevitably cued up again.
80
Sputnikmusic
Simply put, Fate is a refreshment of the sound that has been missing for so long.
80
Mojo
With Fate, Dr. Dog have begun to deliever the sort of super-confident songs that, up until now, have proved frustratingly out of reach. [Sep 2008, p.108]
75
The Onion (A.V. Club)
'From' is catchy, but it also involves the phrase "choo-choo train," which no one above kindergarten age should have to sing. Still, it's adult and musically complex enough to pick up the slack.
70
All Music Guide
The sound effects that link the songs and clumsy tape edits seem a tad forced,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.
70
Spin
Though Fate's sepia sweetness and the band's ever-improving instrumental ingenuity (see 'em live!) can't mask a vaguely troubling lack of original ideas, Dr. Dog wears the vintage look amiably well.
70
Under The Radar
Dr. Dog wear their influences on their sleeves. They also don’t seem particularly concerned about being the flavor of the week. These two things seem to rub a lot of reviewers the wrong way, and certainly, this album is more of the same. But it’s the most confident, complete outing since "Easy Beat." [Summer 2008]
70
Alternative Press
Whether or not Dr. Dog can duly revered based on their own merits remains to be seen, but in the meantime, they've got a ringer on their hands. [Aug 2008, p.170]
70
Blender
Even as they take on the album title's potentially heavy theme, two vocalists sing with wide-open smiles, and they toss in new-wave beats alongside the saloon pianos and tube-amp guitars. [Aug 2008, p.84]
67
Austin Chronicle
Dr. Dog evolves impressively with each album but still promises more than Fate delivers.
60
Paste Magazine
So instantly pleasing, the trickery is transparent, a hook to keep listening until the content of Toby Leaman and Scott McMicken’s songs makes itself known.
60
PopMatters
For now, it looks like Dr. Dog will stick to their sunny, over-produced pop songs, finding safe ground, pitching tent, and making camp for the night.
60
Rolling Stone
Fate feels less like a straight tribute to Dr. Dog's elders and more like a finely tuned collage.
60
Uncut
Dr. Dog have stepped up to the plate for the fifth album and hits a homer. [Sep 2008, p.88]
60
The Guardian
With such impeccable raw materials, it's inevitable that several songs here are irresistible, notably Fate and The Old Days, the former a trembling love song, the latter a clattering hoe-down. Even so, a little more idiosyncrasy wouldn't go amiss.
60
Prefix Magazine
Fate exposes the larger problem with Dr. Dog’s catalog -- namely, that the band have become so comfortable where they are that they are content to merely play to type.
55
Pitchfork
Fate still manages to be a master class in illusory "good" songwriting. The bulk of it is so fenced into classicist templates-- chamber-y pop meets maximum R&B with the occasional smidge of "tasteful" gospel/parlour games ("Hang On") that, even when merely competent, it can still win over those unimpressed with all that punk and hip-hop riff raff of the past three decades.
50
Slant Magazine
Unfortunately, it's also phenomenally uninteresting. That isn't to say that the album is bad. Put it on at a low-key party and nobody will complain--but they probably won't ask you what it is either.
The average user rating for this album is 9.1 (out of 10) based on 19 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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