But most often the show evokes the early stylings of fellow Philadelphians Daryl Hall & John Oates. Like them, Mutlu's a blue-eyed soulster with folk roots. And having H&O's ace guitar man T-Bone Wolk on board as producer, and Hall singing on the gently revolutionary "See What It Brings," underscores the associations.
Ditto the close harmonizing that Mr. Mutlu (Onaral) does with Amos Lee on the "Sara Smile" sound-alike "Make It There" and with Rahsaan DeVaughan on the romantic, cool-grooving "In Your Heart." But the one I really can't get out of my head is the super-catchy "Upside," a co-write with yet another homie, Scott Sax.
WELCOME TO THE DOG POUND: Philadelphia's strongest gift to retro/alternative art rock continues to impress. I'm talking 'bout Dr. Dog and "Fate" (Park The Van Records, B+). The care and feeding that's gone into this production is obvious.
Start with the thematically linked material, suggesting a world order that seems out of our control but can be altered, if we put our minds to it. Dr. Dog is equally fastidious in vocal harmonies (think Brian Wilson's work with the Beach Boys) and in the strings- and horn-flecked tunes, which change up and segue in curious, seamless fashion.
The road map for this kind of handicraft is latter-day Beatles and the solo projects of John Lennon. A perfect case in point is the medley of the music-hall-flavored "Hang On" and the anti-nostalgia, let your house fall down "The Old Days," which somehow evolves into a country hoedown before it's through. Gents, you're doing us proud.
BOB'S KIDS AND
ANCESTORS: In his youth, raspy-voiced rock surrealist Willie Nile was one of several guys hit with the "Next Dylan" tag. (He came right after Loudon Wainwright IV, but before Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle.)
