All In Now

<b>The reformed trio delivers ’90s-rock flashbacks with a post-punk edge.</b> The title of Dogstar’s fourth album doubles as a blood-pact reaffirmation for a band that, in their initial ’90s heyday, was largely seen as a moonlighting vehicle for its movie-star bassist, Keanu Reeves, before splitting up in 2002. <i>All in Now</i> is the trio’s second release since reuniting in 2020, and while it instantly transports us back to a post-R.E.M. era when radio playlists were overflowing with the likes of Better Than Ezra, Live and Toad the Wet Sprocket, it’s also a snapshot of a band that’s playing with a reignited sense of purpose and vitality. With veteran alt-rock producer Nick Launay sharpening the edges of their sound, songs like <b>“All in Now”</b> and <b>“Exalted”</b> pair singer/guitarist Bret Domrose’s plaintive melodies with Reeves’ and drummer Robert Mailhouse’s punchy rhythmic attack like a post-punk Gin Blossoms. And with <b>“The Whisper”,</b> Dogstar delivers a soaring standout that captures all the drive and drama of a vintage Echo & The Bunnymen cut.