Thee Oh Sees Album Review: “Drop”

Thee Oh Sees’ Drop… this is one that’s kind of hard for me to review because of all the stuff that has been going with these guys in the past year or so. John Dwyer (vocals/guitar) has gone on to do his synth-related solo project Damaged Bug, and before that it was announced that they we’re taking an indefinite hiatus to work on other things. Then THIS THING comes out of nowhere and… you get it, they’re weird. But that’s what expect from Thee Oh Sees, right? Weird, loud, fun antics that are captured through noise and shouting “woo” all the time, right? Well….
 
This release, surprisingly, is a lot more tame than the others. I came in listening to “Floating Coffin” and had so much fun with all the distortion and reverb and psychedelic elements while still grinding out some face-punching riffs and basslines. But to come to this, AND look at the cover of the album, it’s not as crazy as one would imagine. Songs like the opener “Penetrating Eye” and “Savage Victory” are slow meanders through weird landscapes made by off-putting effects. “Savage Victory” has this delay on a scratched guitar that makes it sound like a door creaking open to reveal something sinister in the next room.
 
The other moments on this album that do have a little more energy like “Drop” and “Put Some Reverb on My Brother” seem to be dying down even in their own right. The guitar solos are becoming less coherent and more noisy, but not in a very good way. Do they grind? Yes. Do they screech? Yes. But are they enjoyable to listen to? No, they’re like nails on a chalkboard. This is coming from a guy who LOVES Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine, but where have riffs and elements that experiment with sound, this doesn’t and leaves me somewhat deaf. 

 
The other thing I have to commend is the production on the whole album. They maintain a way, somehow, to produce songs that are grindy enough to grit your teeth, and smooth enough with the drums and the basslines that keep you swaying with a pout like you’re a bad boy.
 
Final verdict, is this their best? No, not by a long shot. If this is what they want to go out on, then it’s a calm after the whipping maelstroms that are “Carrion Crawler/The Dream”, “Floating Coffin”, “Castlemania”, and “Putrifiers II” If you want to go ahead and listen to some calmed-down punk (if that’s a thing?) go ahead and check this album out. But if you really wanna hear the raw power of these Californians, check out something else these guys have done.