'The Psychedelic Swamp': A Triumph of the Genre

In 2001, indie neo-psych outfit Dr. Dog self-released their debut, a concept album called “The Psychedelic Swamp.” After 15 years of honing their craft, they’ve returned to their samizdat, and they released the now professionally produced “Psychedelic Swamp” on ANTI- Records on Feb. 5. It’s easy to see why they decided “Swamp” deserved a revisit: Its 13 songs burst with excellent and surprising musical ideas, and intriguing, if sometimes inscrutable, lyrics to boot. With its clever self-awareness, melodicism, and creativity, “Swamp” warrants purchase and multiple listens: Each one uncovers new clever complexities hidden in its unassuming vocals and seemingly simple song structures.

“The Psychedelic Swamp” is, well, psychedelic: The album, especially the songs with “swamp” in the title, is saturated with such staples of the genre as ocean sound effects, shrieks, synth crescendoes, and echoing vocals. Rather than bogging down the album in atmospherics, these touches are artful and focused, giving the album a trippiness amplified by the fuzzy, dissociated body horror lyrics of the consecutive “Holes in My Back” and “Fire on My Back.” That the album’s story, if there is one, takes place in a swamp only adds to the pleasant haziness. As in any good concept album, the concept is a focusing unifier, not a gimmick. It might be an excessively positive comparison, but “Swamp” has much in common with “Pet Sounds”: initials, a quirky theme reinforced by sound effects, vocal harmony suites, ambitious and memorable chord progressions, and even lyrics, like “here today, gone tomorrow” on “Badvertise.”

To be clear, “The Psychedelic Swamp” is not “Pet Sounds”; in 2016, it doesn’t break any new ground, nor does it try. Its lyrics are marked by familiar indie self-consciousness, not confessional angst, and its vocal harmonies aren’t Beach Boys-dazzling. In short, it is not a perfect album. It is, however, very compelling. In all but a few sequences, “Swamp” is exciting, challenging music. If the album has weak patches, they are the “concept” songs like “Swamp Descent” and “(swamp inflammation).” Although unspectacular, they do give the album structure by serving as pleasant respites from the attention-demanding highlights. Indeed, one of the best elements of “Swamp” is its sequencing. Neither the druggy grooves like “Engineer Says,” the minimalist laments like “In Love,” nor the upbeat Strokesian rock like “Dead Record Player” wear on the listener, in part because they share the album’s space so effectively.

Of course, in defending a 4.5-star rating, praising structure and conceptual coherence only goes so far. Good—i.e., non-generic—psychedelia needs hooks, not just atmosphere, and Dr. Dog obliges. From the simple, buzzy guitar line that begins “Golden Hide,” the album opener, “Swamp” is catchy and accessible. Particular highlights are the poppier, (read: less swampy), tracks “Bring My Baby Back” and “Good Grief,” each of which boast emotive vocals and a stellar chorus, and the darkly groovy “Engineer Says.” In fact, every track save for the swampiest songs has a strong melody, a rare feat. This discipline is especially surprising considering the album’s background as a garage-recorded debut. These 15-year-old songs are certainly as strong as those on Dr. Dog’s 2013 “B-Room.”

Psychedelia might not be as relevant in 2016 as it was in its heyday, and “The Psychedelic Swamp” is unabashedly retro. But even if catchy tunes and disciplined production are out of style, “Swamp” is tremendously enjoyable. A triumph of the genre, “The Psychedelic Swamp” sets a high bar for the broader worlds of indie and popular music.

—Staff writer Trevor J. Levin can be reached at trevor.levin@thecrimson.com