Putrifiers II

Editors’ Notes Though "Wax Face" opens Putrifiers II with the mind-melting ferocity that so intoxicated fans on past T.O.S. tunes, the album as a whole is a white-hot brew of everything the supreme psych-rockers do best. If one could distill their two 2011 releases into one edited, cohesive whole—or perhaps distill their entire vast catalog into such a thing—it would come awfully close to Putrifiers II. There are strings and woodwinds among other instrumental delights here; we love the droning cello and violins on the Velvets-ish "So Nice." There are also mind-melters ("Lupine Dominus" snaps and growls with appropriately feral organs and guitar) and artfully sculpted bad-trip soundtrack music ("Clouds #1"). Plus, there are almost-breezy psych-pop tunes with summery strings ("Goodnight Baby"), as well as sweetly '60s-style vocal harmonies and crisp, just-before-the-red production ("Flood's New Light," "Hang a Picture"). Thee Oh Sees even toss in funhouse-mirror doo-wop ("Will We Be Scared?") and dew-kissed baroque pop ("Wicked Pop"). John Dwyer and his merry band continue evolving before our very eyes, and that is, literally, awesome.