Other, The

The Other / King Tuff

Label: Sub Pop

Reviewed: 6/13/2018

DJ Stace

Fourth Studio album from King Tuff. Lots of great spaceship sounds and ethereal psych 70's cop show theme SFX on top of solid songwriting and performance. This is a great Summer Jam, from start to finish that will have you singing along pretty quickly. Put the top down and crank it down US 1.

FCCs: 5
RIYL: Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, King Gizzard, 70's Cop Show Themes...

Play all but #5 (FCC)

Particular favorites are:1,2,9

1. * "The Other" 6:09 - Down-tempo acoustic with spacey effects and accompaniment. Starts with chiming little bells and church organ. Breathy quiet and excellent lyrics, throughout.
2. *** "Raindrop Blue" 4:37 - Mid-tempo funky steady rocker. Starts with a killer bass riff, maintains that with sax, driving beat, falsetto choruses and spacey accompaniments. Booty shaker. Current favorite track.
3. "Thru the Cracks" 3:36 - Mid-tempo strummy jangle psych-pop with Phil Spector style backing vocals. Nice theremin-style guitar, throughout.
4. *"Psycho Star" 4:41 - Great shuffling beat on this mid tempo dance number. Clean clear lyrics. Builds to a great crescendo of backing v
5. FCC! "shit" "Infinite Mile" 3:12 - Great thumping acoustic rocker with harmonica accomp. Too bad it's FCC. Great tune.
6. "Birds of Paradise" 4:27 - Up tempo with a 70's cop show flare.
7. "Circuits in the Sand" 2:59 - Mid to uptempo acoustic strumming ballad-ey lament of modern tech world. Might have ripped the melody from Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." Might not have, but you'll never unhear it, now.
8. "Ultraviolet" 4:22 - Killer fuzzy riff starts off this mid tempo foot stomper. Howls and languid rhythms give this a spooky feel.
9. **"Neverending Sunshine" 3:40 - Spaceship taking off SFX and a killer beat with more 70's cop keyboard work. This is the summer hit. Danceable and great.
10. "No Man's Land" 5:53 - Languid arcing guitar solo starts this low to mid tempo closer. Stays mellow all the way to the end, though it builds a bit of crescendo at the end, fading to an autoharp outro.
Stace