LOS ANGELES, CA- For years, Dogstar was one of those bands I never really gave a fair shot. Not because I disliked the idea of them, but because I had already formed a lazy assumption about what the experience might be like. I’ve always liked Keanu Reeves as an actor, but back in the day it felt like being a fan of Dogstar meant being a fan of Keanu first. I imagined rooms full of adoring fans more interested in the celebrity than the music, and that perception probably kept me from really giving the band their due when their early records were making the rounds.
That bias lingered longer than it probably should have. Even when the Los Angeles trio returned in 2023 with Somewhere Between the Power Lines and Palm Trees after a two-decade hiatus, I gave it a casual spin but never fully connected with it. The record leaned toward a breezier, lighter tone that just didn’t quite land for my personal taste. From what I vaguely remembered about their earlier material, I expected something with a little more grit.
So when I pressed play on Dogstar’s new single “All In Now,” the title track from their upcoming fourth studio album, I was pleasantly surprised.
Right from the opening chords, the song taps into a familiar… for me… sonic lane that feels comfortably rooted in the mid-90s alternative rock playbook. There’s a weight to the verse that carries a grungier edge than what I remembered from their most recent album.
Lyrically, “All In Now” leans into themes of self-determination and emotional clarity. Lines like “No one saved your life tonight / It’s up to you to do what’s right” frame the song around personal responsibility and the idea that sometimes the only way forward is to commit fully to the path you’re on. By the time the chorus lands with the declaration “There’s nothin’ to lose / You’ve gone all in now,” the message feels less like a warning and more like a challenge.
What really caught my attention, though, was the musical texture of the track itself. The verses carry a darker, heavier tone before the chorus opens up into a brighter lift that gives the song a dynamic push and pull. It’s the kind of structure that feels instantly familiar to anyone who grew up on 90s alternative radio.
And yes… it’s impossible not to acknowledge Keanu Reeves here. On bass, he locks in with drummer Robert Mailhouse to create a steady rhythmic backbone that keeps the track moving without ever trying to steal the spotlight. It’s solid, grounded playing that serves the song exactly the way it should.
Produced by Nick Launay, whose résumé includes work with artists like IDLES, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “All In Now” also carries a raw energy that suggests Dogstar are leaning confidently into their strengths.
And maybe that’s the real takeaway here.
Sometimes the biggest barrier to discovering music you might actually enjoy is your own preconceived idea about what it is supposed to be. For me, Dogstar was a band I had quietly filed away in the “probably not for me” category years ago. “All In Now” didn’t just challenge that assumption. It reminded me that sometimes you just have to press play and let the music prove you wrong.
Dogstar’s new album All In Now, produced by Nick Launay, is set for release via the band’s own Dillon Street Records on May 29th, 2026.
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