Oh Sees - "Orc"

Oh Sees, FKA Thee Oh Sees and about 20 other names, are a California based Garage Rock band led by the genius John Dwyer.  Now, if I had to choose one genre that I've always considered to be "my" genre, it would be Garage/Garage Punk/Garage Psych.  Bands like The Black Lips and artists like Ty Segall have always been mainstays in my collection.  Oh Sees, however, have always had a very special place.  I've always thought Oh Sees to be like, the ultimate B-List Horror Movie, mostly due to their debut album "The Masters Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In".  This album was freakish and exciting, with plenty of Low-Fi guitar solos as well as wild performances.  But this album went the extra mile almost constantly.  You could practically feel the drugs seeping out of this album, and some of the more twisted moments seemed legitimately evil.  But at the same time, Dwyer and company were writing seriously catchy hooks, making this all strangely inviting.Oh Sees cleaned up their act a little bit on 2009's "Help".  This album was a little more cleanly produced and a little catchy, it also showed that Dwyer had seriously been working on his songwriting.  But most importantly, it showed Thee Oh Sees starting to incorporate more classic Psych Pop elements.  These very classic elements continued on to their next album, the very stripped down and equally as Psyched Out and Fuzzy "Dog Poison".  This was easily the scratchiest and least polished material Thee Oh Sees had given us to date, but it was certainly still interesting and solid.  Now, for the most part, I feel like the majority of Thee Oh Sees work is pretty flawless.  But for some reason, I've never gotten into 2010's "Warm Slime" at all.   It's alright and all, but nothing about it really sticks out with me.  Thankfully though, the ever prolific Oh Sees quickly followed that up with 2011's "Castlemania".  This album was LOADS better, with Dwyer diving head first into the sounds of the 60's in his own freakish way.  Tracks like "AA Warm Breeze" and "I Need Seed" were instant classics, and not for nothing, that album art is awesome.  By the time 2011 came around, Thee Oh Sees clearly knew what they were doing.  2011's "Carrion Crawler/The Dream" was the band's first true masterpiece.  This album was packed with upbeat and truly wild Psychedelic Rock trips.  But Dwyer's brilliant songwriting and the intense and loud instrumentals just made this one a must listen.  Thee Oh Sees would go on to next release the criminally underrated "Putrifiers II".  This album showed Dwyer and Thee Oh Sees going for a sound that saluted bands like Velvet Underground and plenty of other Classic bands.  But they did it with such an appreciation for that era and cleaned up their sound just enough for it to come off nicely.  2013's "Floating Coffin" was actually my first Oh Sees album, and for the most part, I feel like it's decent.  While it's not as wild, and while Dwyer's songwriting is as solid, it's still a very fun and decent Garage Psych album.  Also, what's up with the production on this album? it's seriously not NEARLY as interesting as some of Thee Oh Sees earlier work.  Thee Oh Sees continued their very prolific run with 2014's "Drop", which saw the band take a slight step back in the much weirder direction of their early years.  Sadly though, I really just didn't think there was anything too memorable here either.  On the other hand, 2015's "Mutilator Defeated At Last" was VERY memorable.  It showed Dwyer going for a much more stripped back sound that reminded me of "Putrifiers II", but most importantly Thee Oh Sees were just having fun.  There were no gimmicks here, and overall Thee Oh Sees sounded like themselves in the best way.  Back on their creative streak, Thee Oh Sees released one of their most exciting and wild albums in years, 2016's "A Weird Exits".  This album was an over-the-top, wild, and completely ridiculous Sci-Fi/Horror masterpiece filled with blood guts and everything in between.  But outside of that, once again John Dwyer just seemed to be having an all out blast.  The always prolific Oh Sees are back, (With a slight name change) sounding just as out of control as ever, let's talk about this album.

(Classic Oh Sees right here!)

This album starts off with “The Static God”, and let me just say, this album takes absolutely no time in throwing you deep into the sick and twisted world of John Dwyer.  Only 30 seconds in and this album is already noisy, abrasive and colorful.  But after all these years, I love how John Dwyer still has the ability to put harmonies and melodies in from time to time.  There aren’t too many here, but when they do show up it is nice  But the story on “The Static God” is the sheer intensity, my friends.  I can’t for the life of me remember the last time I heard Oh Sees sounding so unhinged and out of control.  Dwyer’s seemingly constant guitar solos and hypnotic verses make this one a seriously wild ride.  And while I do with this was a little more melodic in parts, this is a damn fine opener.  It reminds us that Dwyer is and always will be the absolutely unhinged kind of Psychedelic Garage Rock.  Plus, the production on this track is brilliant, sounding wild and in the moment but also sounding oddly clear.  Then we have “Nite Expo”, which in so many ways is the exact opposite.  It’s a smooth, upbeat and wonderfully crafted Garage Rock tune.  The heavy use of the synthesizer here actually really brings me back to the band’s last album.  But it brings in this sort of Sci Fi element that I’m always happy to hear from Oh Sees.  Don’t you worry though, there are plenty of aggressive guitars and freakish performances on “Nite Expo” as well.  Dwyer’s performance on this one actually does a lot for me.  For my money, I love to hear Dwyer at his weirdest and most over the top, which is exactly what we get here.  This track is twisted and bizarre, but also shows how the Oh Sees incredibly focused.  For an under 3 minute track, this one rules.  As this album goes on, I have to commend Oh Sees for just how heavy this album is.  “Animated Violence” in particular sounds absolutely massive, without this track being too heavy stylistically interestingly enough.  But even Dwyer’s strangely crushing performance here seems to show just how brutal this track is.  In a weird way, “Animated Violence” is Oh Sees take at completely overblown metal.   Call me nuts, but I feel like it actually works with the sounds of this album quite well.  It continues to be seriously vibrant and outrageously colorful.  In a way, this actually really reminds me of some of the stuff Ty Segall did last year on his “Emotional Mugger” album.  And that goes double for when those very sinister synths pop in.  Overall, “Animated Violence” really works really well for Oh Sees.  It’s the kind of completely wild and ridiculous performance I need when dealing with these guys.  But what’s really interesting to me about this track, the is extended sort of jam towards the end.  For me, this actually a whole lot more engaging than some of the instrumental jams that popped up on the band’s last album.  So hell yes, “Animated Violence” is a big thumbs up from me.  Not to mention, that super noisy outdo is just what the doctor ordered.  Then we have “Keys To The Castle”, which is much more easy on the ears and to be honest, a little more along the lines of what I expected to hear.  Don't worry, I mean that in the best way.  I love the more upbeat and peppy performances here, which doesn't go easy on us in the slightest way as far as heaviness goes.  “Keys To The Castle” is easily one of my favorites here.  I love the more guitar driven sound as well as the freakish guitar performances.   But once again, the real star here is just how well Oh Sees are working with these lengthy jams, which is honestly something I was really worried about here.  But on this track, Oh Sees take the massive jam and make it into something truly special.  My issue with Oh Sees jams has always been that I felt that if they would be so much better in a live environment.  But the jam on “Keys To The Castle”, which goes on for over 5 minutes, is done expertly.  This may be some one of the most interesting atmospheres’s that Dwyer has put together period.  It’s eye opening, it’s relaxing, it’s psychedelic and most of all really interesting.  Listening to this track I just can’t help getting sucked up in this track.  But one thing’s for sure, this time last year an 8 minute Oh Sees track would have been a little sloppier.  “Keys To The Castle” however ends up being one of the album’s most defining moments.  

    “Jettison” to be honest is the first track on here I’m not completely head over heels for.  But there is still a bunch of aspects to this one that I do enjoy.   Some of the early breakdowns and intense passages are actually some of the best on the album.  The sheer ferociousness of the hooks here are actually really lovable as well.  But the verses on “Jettison” are just so plain and sort of boring.  I like Dwyer’s usual blend of violent and animated lyrics, but his performance on this one barely sounds like something Oh Sees would even touch.  And the band have done tons of softer tunes before and I’ve dug them.  But this one just seems like a little too much of a stretch for me.  But the most intense and noisy passage do at the very least make this passable.  Then we have “Cadaver Dog”, which is once again much more focused on atmosphere with some slightly goofy synths and plodding bass.  It’s certainly a change of pace for Oh Sees though.  Once again, this certainly reminds me of some of the closing moments on “A Weird Exits”, but it still is coming off a little more focused than that.  But on “Cadaver Dog”, Dwyer’s vocals are once again burrowed deep into their lowest register, and I have mixed feelings on that.  On one hand, I feel like it certainly adds to the campiness that I crave when listening to Oh Sees music.  However, I feel like there have been too many times in Oh Sees career that Dwyer didn’t sound like he was forcing himself this much.  So I’m just sort of torn on “Cadaver Dog”.  This track is far from bad, and I do love the very slow burning instrumental building up in the background.  But one thing I did realize at this point, is that one thing I certainly miss about “A Weird Exits” is the cohesive direction of everything.  Thankfully, Oh Sees bounce back strong with “Paranoise”.  I seriously love a whole lot of the funk here, as well as some of the jazzy undertones.  This is honestly where I love hearing Oh Sees the most, taking very conventional and seemingly normal styles of much and contorting them into something that just sounds off kilter.  The funk here in undeniably strong in that bass, and I love the twangy and vibrant guitars.  As an instrumental, this one is overall really well put together.  Listening to this I feel like I’m watching some disturbing and animated movie and watching something that confuses the hell out of me.  But if I’m being honest with you guys, this is miles better than some of the instrumentals they threw at us on the last Oh Sees album.  When Dwyer really sits down to take on this atmosphere, he can really go places.  It’s honestly really impressive, and shows Oh Sees are always maturing.  Not to mention, it makes me a whole lot less worried about the band’s future.  Plus, some of those electric guitars that pop in towards the last minute are some of the coolest instrumentals I’ve heard here by far.  Then we have “Cooling Tower” which at first I really didn’t know how to take.  But as I’ve listened to it more, this is totally in Oh Sees playbook.  It has that sort of Sunshine Pop flair to it that almost comes off as tongue in cheek.  But of course, there are the usual twangy guitars that sort of usher in Oh Sees sound.  My only real issue with “Cooling Tower” though, is that I don’t feel like John Dwyer took this one far enough.  I love just how zany and weird this one in.  But it’s practically the shortest track here.  I would have loved Dwyer to make this one maybe a minute longer and used that time to make the atmosphere even bigger.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55pVd0iCANA

    Oh Sees aren’t done with us yet.  “Drowned Beast” literally sounds like a long lost tune from the “A Weird Exits” album.  The production on this track is just so thick, and the Sci Fi influences are all over the place.  To be honest, though, I love it.  Oh Sees are always a little hit and miss with their slower tunes.  But this is the slower paced track that I’ve been dying to hear from them.  Dwyer’s whisper quiet vocals are just so twisted and bizarre sounding, especially with his usual outlandish lyrics.  The lone strings in the background also give this such a tight atmosphere, and the vocal performance all around is just so freakish. For a sluggish track clocking in at over 5 minutes, “Drowned Beast” is brilliant.  This album ends off with “Raw Optics”, which is the funky and off kilter outdo that I honestly wasn’t expecting to hear.  The grooves here are certainly strong and instrumentally Oh Sees are sounding as unified as ever.  But to me, this doesn’t come off as a finale to me.  To be honest, it honestly sounds like Oh Sees are just gearing up to get going.  There are a lot of great sound effects used here to give this a seriously far out sound, and they do succeed.  But this just wasn’t the finale that I was looking for.  It’s good and all, but it gives me little to no sense of closure.  But overall, this is still another great Oh Sees album. 

Rating: 7.9/10

Give A Listen To: "The Static God", "Nite Expo", "Keys To The Castle" "Paranoise"

Genre: Garage Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Garage Punk

If You Dig This, Check Out: Thee Oh Sees - "A Weird Exits", King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - "I'm In Your Mind Fuzz", Ty Segall - "Melted"

Overall Thoughts:  At the end of this day, this is just another pretty damn awesome John Dwyer creation.  Oh Sees here took the few things I wasn't too sure about listening to their last album, and really fixed some of the bigger mistakes.  The guitars are out of control and John Dwyer's performance are their usual eclectic blasts of energy.  However, my only slight issue is I sort of wish this album was a little more concepual.