 Change is a significant feature of John Dwyer's career: dividing his time between industrial dance noise, insanely distorted garage rock and arythmic freakouts among other things. Rarely though is there much change within the acts themselves. Aggressive, fast pace shtompfing characterised Coachwhips; feigned German accents and incessant bass were the foundations of Zeigenbock Kopf; dirty and spazzy noise was the export of Pink & Brown; and, once upon a time, uber-slow, quiet scaryfolk was the domain of The Ohsees, OCS, Thee Oh Sees (whatever). It's only on this release that a completely new character has developed for them. Grinding out noisy rock 'n' roll has now become their primary concern.
Incidentally, this change in direction has now made much of their previous work very much a part of the past: the recent live set I saw was made entirely of stuff from this album as well as unrecorded similar tracks. Setting aside this completely new sound, what's the album actually like?
Although fans of the old will find little of what they knew and loved here, it's still going to be hard for a follower of Dwyer's work to find this album a disappointment.
Powering through uptempo numbers, which ooze a kind of modernised-retro-garage style, to slowed down yet equally stylish pieces, the band deliver a classic album with little room for contemporary comparisons. Undermining completely any merits of their old sound, this new direction is fantastic. Rocking, powerful, energetic, moving, and trippy - it fulfills so many criteria and satisfies such a variety of cravings: from the cinematically spectacular 'Graveyard Drug Party' to the fucking banging 'Block of Ice'. Even the disheartened old Coachwhips fans must feel deep down that this is one of the best albums Dwyer's ever touched.
For an Oh Sees album it's completely out of the ordinary, but as a part of John's catalogue it fits perfectly. Urgent at times, relaxed at others, it is always on top and never once lets the consistency slip (though the opener does set the bar exceptionally high). Difficult though it may be to get into, this album is certainly a taste worth acquiring.
Alistair Clark
Thee Oh Sees site: http://tomlabel.com/theeohsees/ |
| Coding: Darren Burrows