It's difficult to keep up with Thee Oh Sees these days. The San Francisco-based experimental garage rockers released three albums in 2009, one in 2010, and two in 2011. The Carrion Crawler/The Dream EP, released at the tail-end of 2011, was initially prepared as two separate EPs (the title and
variety of sounds suggest as much), but it works well as one diverse full-length release.The energy of the band's famous live shows is captured on the album despite being recorded in a studio; the dual drumming anchors the songs
allowing John Dwyer and Brigid Dawson's charismatic vocals and playful guitar-keyboard (respectively) interplay veer into noisy psychedelic territory while still maintaining a focus on commanding riffs. Album highlights include the krautrock workout "Chem-Farmer", the feedback freakout in the middle of "Carrion
Crawler", and the sweeping chord progression of "Robber Barons". The album departs from the band's poppier sound heard on 2011's Castlemania. Dwyer says of Carrion Crawler/The Dream: Castlemania was more of a vocal tirade. This one's meant to pummel and throb." Amen.
Recommended if you like: Black Lips, Ty Segall, J.C. Satan
Focus Tracks: "Robber Barons", "Carrion Crawler", "Crushed Grass"