Dr. Dog

Shaggy roots rockers Dr. Dog have managed to find themselves a comfortable musical niche somewhere between My Morning Jacket and mid-era Wilco, winning over a healthy number of people in the process, including Conan O'Brien. They can be relied upon to come up with a handful of good songs on each and every album, and that is still the case on Be The Void. But that also means they're as patchy as ever and still haven't made their classic album. They're getting closer though. Considering this is their seventh full-length, the band are remarkably playful, throwing in a healthy dose of classic rock jams into their already comfortably retro sound. The highlights are the more melodic, harmony-filled tracks like "That Old Black Hole," whereas the sluggish, blues-tinged tunes ("Big Girl" and "Warrior Man") drag their heels. There's enough here to keep fans happy and even win a few more over in the process, but it's another mixed bag from a band that are easier to like than love.