Unconvinced by their newest album? Head back to the start, then. They are in that wretched 1001 Albums You Must Listen to Before You Die book, so their seal of approval is definite. We cannot renege on that. Predominantly acoustic efforts from the band on The Doobie Brothers, an apt title for their first album. Here, The Doobie Brothers get to grips with the studio and their abilities as instrumentalists. Nothing more than that. Hearing that progression is a treat even for those who would consider themselves passing listeners. Just about any early 1970s album of acoustic rock is a solid listen. You can hardly put a foot wrong around this time. These are riches which still occur today, just in different genres and with other artists. The Doobie Brothers’ debut album is not the moment for the band to prove themselves, but to settle the debut jitters, to understand the thrill which comes from being in the studio. They do it exceptionally with some strong, countrified rock.
Opener Nobody sets the mood tremendously. We are in no short supply of rocking country music, but The Doobie Brothers is a treat. It not only puts them on the map but acts as a statement of intent. They are nobodies at the time of this release, and that’s the point. Much of their range and strength is found not just in those brilliant guitar flourishes but in sharp wordplay. Pleasant instrumental work on Slippery St. Paul highlights what The Doobie Brothers do best. They’re excellent at finding a balance between harmonies and highlighting their instrumental depth. Catchy and rhythmic, you can’t ask for much more than that in country rock. A few splashes of harmonica here, a thudding and catchy bit of percussion there, it’s a wonderful experience and relatively light, too. Plenty of detail for listeners to sink into, but never a heavy enough message to steal away from a delicate, laid-back mood.
Grooviest of all is Feelin’ Down Farther. These are songs of a delightful, pop relatability. It’s not pop, but it has the fluidity of chart-topping material, of easy-going music. The Doobie Brothers maintain that well across their self-titled album with a fantastic B-side. Wonderful songs which bring out the best of life, like Growin’ a Little Each Time are delivered with such honest sentiment that it’s hard not to fall for them. Upbeat bits and pieces which hide nothing untoward or dark in them, just a true positivity which country rock has taken, ran with, and stumbled on in the years to follow the release of The Doobie Brothers. The album soon drifts off into further light moments, nice quality songs but lacking that punch of the first half. What a listener loses in thrills, they gain in consistency, which The Doobie Brothers provide tremendously.
Debut records are a chance to show an audience what you can offer a genre. Only the best can advance the listening experience, and while The Doobie Brothers would do that more on follow-up releases, they maintain a steadiness here that the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Allman Brothers Band. The Doobie Brothers did not need to earn their place among those classics, yet they did with their debut. Everything after this shows their flexibility as artists who are keen to explore genres as often as Willie Nelson did. Album closer Chicago cements their strengths as a freewheeling, fun band. A short and sweet end to what is a very enjoyable self-titled debut. Few can say their first works are as strong as this, and for The Doobie Brothers, the core of their strength as musicians can be found here.
