Will Schube ain’t shaggy
I haven’t really visited Thee Oh Sees’ discography since 2012, which means I’ve missed two full lengths, a singles collection, an indefinite hiatus announcement, and the “we were just kidding” announcement a few months later. The band never really left, which is nice because they’re one of the few groups to have truly grasped the balance between an intense artistry and being insanely prolific.
The San Francisco based group led by John Dwyer are often placed into the too constrictive box of garage rock—a term that seems demeaning even before a context is examined. Sure, the music is gritty and tough, but the band has become significantly more hi-fi as they continue, making music equal parts complex and fun (although many fans would argue that this signals a decline in the band’s output). The group just announced a new album coming in May, and first single “Web” is another move away from the restrictive terms of those genre signifiers.
The track is all kinds of quirky seventies krautrock, providing enough German vibes to satisfy all your Hefeweizen needs. The ghost of Can lingers as the drums gallop and Dwyer takes on a hushed delivery before a triumphant yelp stirs the guitars from their slumber and proceed to melt every face within a five mile radius. “Web” is particularly emblematic of the band’s post-hiatus era in how it manages to retain a certain Oh Sees-ness while sounding totally new and rejuvenated.
