Album: Smote Reverser
Artist: Oh Sees
Genre: #Rock
Label: Castle Face
Non-Airable Tracks: None
Description: John Dwyer has created many different combinations and permutations of Bay Area shredders under just as many names (Thee Oh Sees, OCS, Orange County Sound, etc). The group has evolved into Oh Sees, 70’s prog-rock acolytes with their latest album Smote Reverser. Gone is the shred-till-your-ded punk of old moshpit classics “Toe Cutter/Thumb Buster”. Dwyer and Oh Sees have matured, stretching out songs like “Sentient Oona” into extended jams. Even the heaviest hitting songs like “Overthrown” and “Abysmal Urn” have a more refined sense of composition and presence to them. A beloved band flirting with prog-rock and jam-band territory is always a scary thing to hear going into a record. But Oh Sees are nothing if not resourceful with limited instrumentation, and they avoid the plague of endless noodling solos that lead to nowhere. It’s a solid record – a good one to queue up as you grab the old suit of armor to go and storm Bavarian castles.
Sounds like: Emerson, Lake & Palmer; Black Sabbath
Recommended Tracks:
Sentient Oona – this track makes me want to get a sabbath tattoo
Nail House Needle Boys – MEDIEVAL FUNK REVIVAL 2K18
Reviewer’s Name: Nick Kivi
Date of Review: October 3rd, 2018