House Of Spirits

Of all the bands that have been part of SF’s [somewhat deteriorating] rock ‘n’ roll community, The Fresh & Onlys have always stood out for their impeccable pop songwriting. And they’re continuing their winning streak with this new album influenced by singer Tim Cohen’s time in Arizona. Supposedly this is meant to be divided into halves, with Side A evoking dreams and Side B leaping into alertness. But, honestly, the whole thing has that dreamy, sugary, catchy potency that TF&O conjure so well. Everything’s great. Favorites: 2, 3, 6, 7, 10. No FCCs.

1. (3:52)—Starts as a slow ballad. Launches into loping, dreamy rock.
2. *(3:55)—Medium-fast. Cross between driving classic rock and sunny psych. Really beautiful.
3. *(4:25)—Medium-fast. Hypnotic and huge, like Suicide run through a shoegaze treatment plant. YES. YES.
4. (4:05)—Medium-slow, heavy on the psych and western styling.
5. (3:48)—Slow, insistent beat. Lazy, soft, a little folky, less sonically dense.
6. *(3:21)—Fast, loud, punky. TF&O go full tilt and lose the dreaminess. Sounds a lot like “The Deluge of War” on their Soothsayer EP.
7. *(3:33)—Fast, bright, a bit less aggressive. Sing-along chorus.
8. (4:41)—Mid-tempo, soft, lush. An old ballad through a psych lens.
9. (4:34)—Slow, powerful, sultry beat. Restrained, sexy. Fuzzy choruses. Horns!
10. *(3:15)—Mid-tempo. Like an updated version of Suicide’s “Cheree.” Entrancing. Gets noisy. Long droning, haunting finish.