The Haunted Garage

Sometimes you're just a bit late to the boat... I've always felt the vigorous impression, the raw, whirling-dervish display of Thee Oh See's music. Murky, maniacal blues scraped out by sonic deconstructionists who just wanted to make the noisiest kind of psychedelic-pop possible within the three minutes that followed after pressing -record-

But now, with Castlemania, more than before, (more than those times two years ago when I'd sincerely defer to the converted with a knowing nod that hid my still-yet-unconverted true self), I get it, I'm on board, I'm converted. Castlemania has been one of my favorite records this year. Maybe I'm pissing off the older fans by saying so...

I don't know what it is - maybe their upping the synthesizer and brass infusions, the almost space-bop-jazz vibes, the playful marches and simple hooks burried beneath drones and dots of dissonoance, the somewhat-clearer/less-fuzzed-out vocals.... I can't place my finger on it...
(Frankly, we shouldn't be able to place a finger at all on why we like music... if it moves you, if it shifts you elsewhere, there's no use tracing the line of trajectory for clues - just appreciate the push).

All that said - the busy Bay Area quartet already has a new LP ready- which will tally it at about three releases in some 16-months or so. “Castlemania was more of a vocal tirade," said lead singer/guitarist and main See(r) John Dwyer, " (Carrion Crawler / The Dream) iss meant to pummel and throb.”

That's right - what was almost going to be two separate EPs just got slammed together (nine tracks in total) for a November release, the same month in which they stop in Detroit on a forthcoming tour. ("the Dream"  live, is viewable above)

More info from the band's site.