Review: Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream

By Kristen Berry

Thee Oh Sees, who need no introduction around these parts, are back with their second record of the year. On Carrion Crawler/The Dream, which is essentially two EPs coupled into one cohesive release, John Dwyer and co. carry their usual quirks into a dizzying, psychedelic atmosphere. Instead of the relatively short songs that made up the goofier and more vocally oriented Castlemania, this record offers several longer, denser tracks and the results are much more instrumentally focused. The band really jam on tracks like “Contraption/Soul Desert” and “Chem-Farmer”, the latter of which contains what is perhaps the band’s most driving drum rhythm to date. “The Dream” reaches nearly seven minutes of garage/psych face-melting, with a hypnotic, NEU!-like groove at its core. Highlighting what they excel at, they manage to sound equally stoned and infectious on tracks like “Opposition” and “Crushed Grass”, both of which are propelled by tasty basslines.

In around a decade, the band already have quite the prolific discography—averaging better than the Fall so far?—and Carrion Crawler/The Dream is definitely one of their most engaging works. Order it at In the Red and turn it up.

Thee Oh Sees - “The Dream” by rockedition