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The Psychedelic Swamp Image
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 9 Ratings

  • Summary: The original self-released 2001 debut album from the Pennsylvania psychedelic rock band was reworked and recorded as its ninth official full-length release.
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Top Track

Bring My Baby Back
I am the lonely one But I could be lone And you are the only one In radio swamp This is the aftermath For whatever I've done Am I the only one Still... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Feb 5, 2016
    91
    You can marvel at the strangely layered backdrops of these songs, get lost tracing the oddball sonic twists, and still come out with the chorus planted firmly in your head.
  2. Magnet
    Feb 12, 2016
    80
    The new/old Psychedelic Swamp LP of today fuses the best of both worlds. [No. 128, p.51]
  3. Feb 5, 2016
    70
    They're able to execute ideas they were only able to hint at when they were a young band. Some songs do have hooks that sink in quickly.
  4. Apr 12, 2016
    70
    Sometimes it can feel like wading through mucky water, but it’s far from a bad trip; more like a damn fine party that will no doubt find its home in many fields during the summer months.
  5. Feb 5, 2016
    68
    Ultimately, this new take on The Psychedelic Swamp mainly serves as a means of sharing Dr. Dog’s backstory and really nothing more.
  6. Uncut
    Apr 27, 2016
    60
    Weird but good. [Jun 2016, p.73]
  7. Feb 5, 2016
    42
    There are moments where the minimal psych additions actually undermine the band’s sound, as their hodgepodge, twitchy aesthetic has always been part of their charm. Ironically, the more polished, glossy synthesizers at times bog the album down.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Feb 18, 2016
    8
    This re-imagining of Dr. Dog's first record is one of the best 60's throwback albums I have heard in the past few years. Incorporating blues,This re-imagining of Dr. Dog's first record is one of the best 60's throwback albums I have heard in the past few years. Incorporating blues, electronic, folk pop, and garage rock into one cohesive album pieced together by a swampy theme, The Psychedelic Swamp sounds exactly as it is titled. The songwriting is consistently engaging and creative, from the sunny pop track Fire on My Back to the slow-burning blues number Engineer Says. In an effort to albumize the record, Dr. Dog laced a few swamp-themed transition tracks, which go over very well and aid in unifying the record thematically. These guys aren't just a Beatles cover band - if you enjoy releases from Foxygen, Temples, and (early) Tame Impala, I urge you check out The Psychedelic Swamp.

    83/100
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