Philadelphia ragtag pop act Dr. Dog has returned to quickly make good on the promise of the critically lauded 2007 album "We All Belong" by sticking to what works. The band went back to its longstanding North Philadelphia studio to record "Fate" and is putting it out it via Park the Van, the label it has been with for six releases. With "Fate," Dr. Dog also revisit the lo-fi rock sounds and timeless Americana aesthetic that have set it apart from its contemporaries. Buoyant and summery tracks like "The Old Days" and "My Friend" hark back to simpler times of riding the rails and front-porch strumming (yes, really). 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.—Lavinia Jones Wright