Dogstar’s All In Now leans into gritty alternative rock with tight songwriting, sharp hooks, and the chemistry of a band that sounds fully committed to its second chapter.
There’s something refreshingly unforced about Dogstar. Maybe that comes from the fact that the band never returned to recreate the ‘90s note for note. On All In Now, the trio sounds like a group of musicians who genuinely enjoy being in a room together, pushing amps, testing ideas, and seeing where the songs take them. That chemistry gives the album its pulse from the very first track.
The follow-up to 2023’s Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees, All In Now finds Dogstar leaning harder into their gritty alternative rock instincts while tightening the songwriting along the way. Produced by Nick Launay, whose résumé includes everyone from IDLES to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the album brings a sharper edge without sanding away the band’s laid-back personality.
The title track kicks things open with a restless energy that feels wired directly into late-night Los Angeles. Bret Domrose’s guitar work keeps things muscular and melodic at the same time, while Robert Mailhouse drives the songs with a drummer’s instinct for momentum over flash. And yes, Keanu Reeves’ bass playing remains a huge part of the band’s identity. He locks into the grooves instead of trying to dominate them, which gives the songs room to breathe.
What makes All In Now work is that Dogstar doesn’t overplay its hand. Tracks like “This Sphere,” “Joy,” and “Punch The Sky” carry echoes of alternative radio from the mid-‘90s, but they don’t sound trapped there. There’s a looseness running through the album that keeps it human. The band understands that rock music doesn’t always need layers of irony or massive conceptual framing to connect. Sometimes a strong riff, a good hook, and a sense of conviction are enough.
The reunion itself could have easily been a one-off curiosity. Instead, Dogstar has gradually turned it into a legitimate second chapter. The band’s 2023 comeback album reintroduced them after more than two decades away, but All In Now feels more confident and fully realized. There’s less reintroduction happening here and more forward motion.
Even the album title says a lot about where the group is mentally. Rather than easing cautiously into this era, Dogstar sounds committed to it. The performances have weight, but they also sound loose enough to leave imperfections in place when the feel is right. That balance gives the record personality.
For longtime fans, All In Now is proof that Dogstar’s return wasn’t simply about revisiting unfinished business. For newer listeners discovering the band because of Reeves’ fame, the album offers something more substantial than celebrity curiosity. Underneath the headlines is a real working rock band that still believes in the power of turning up and playing together.