(i had a suspicion while i was reviewing this promotional download that someone else was doing the hardcopy at the same time. but i figured i'd post my review anyway, fwiw. many thanks to Wallace for scooping me)

Does this local band need any introduction? Arguably one of the biggest influences of late, john dwyer's band and label Castle Face has been taking garage and psyche to a new level, creating insane fervor everywhere they go, with everything he touches. It's only a matter of time that someone accidentally dies from fun at one of their shows and there's little doubt this band has led to more than one unplanned pregnancy. This album delves more into dark spacey psyche than previous, cool stuff FCC clean (I swear, so to speak).

1) (4:59) dark bass heavy mid paced almost spooky goes double time
2)* (3:31) starts slow quiet and spooky then launches into full on driving romp
3)* (2:21) driving pop feel
4) (2:06) swingy bluesy tone, upbeat
5) (4:19) epic driving w guitar leads/solos in middle, jammy
6)* (6:51) slower quieter but channeling old London psyche, the ghost of pink Floyd, soft machine, near whispered vocals
7) (2:41) acoustic guitar arpeggios upbeat but mellower, a divergence of sorts, instrumental
8)* (1:57) serious rocker
9) (4:41) kinda mellower but still urgent pensive and stoking a fire

Thee Oh Sees. They rock. Here's their latest. It rocks. Following their cycle of full-band/John Dwyer solo-ish recordings, this one features the band back (Brigid Dawson is back supplying backing vocals), and it's about as raring and rocking as anything they've done.

1. (4:58) **** Heavy krauty sloshy beat. Vox kick in 1:30 in, hushed and precise, piercing. Like an insane monk whispering in a library. Later, sludgey spacey synths; ominous and weird.
2. (3:30) **** Takes a minute to build, then the guitars are let loose. KILLER. Then ferocious vox low in the mix. Antic, manic, wild. (Careful long fadeout)
3. (2:21) **** Starts quickly, drums kick in-- vox are lighter, jauntier. Brisk, but still rabid.
4. (2:05) *** Loping (vaguely westernish) beat, turns into stomper. I say saloonish. Short.
5. (4:18) **** The bass starts out at full speed, then some crazy guitar stuff at 100MPH. No vox til a minute in. Then it's dreamy, ghosts in a hotrod. Back-n-forth between ghosts and git. Ploppy synths are pushed. Falls into jammy groove, which doesn't last all too long.
6. (6:51) **** Slowish, cool groove at start. Baroqueish organ noodling, over drums. Then super warpo fuzz!!! Cool, monkish chanting vox. We cut to crazy guitar solo, then more extremely cultured and haunting organ solo. Then a slow, krauty synthesis of everything.
7. (2:41) *** Wow, folky acoustic picking, overlaid with psychey sounds, creates a hypnotic texture.
8. (1:57) **** Now back to rocking, full steam right from start, with snarling vox.
9. (4:41) **** Soft, gentle, but the krauty beat propels it quicky and brisky... it has a ton of rocking energy, but everybody is keeping down the volume. Cool cool stuff.