Wooden Shjips:
Back To Land:
Thrill Jockey:
Out Now:
★★★★
Here is an album that not only sounds pretty decent, it looks the mastiff's nuts as well. Packaged in a sleeve that's equal parts 'Led Zeppelin 3' and 'Lemon Jelly '64-'95', die-cut, gatefold, housing a spearmint-swirl coloured vinyl album in a stiff board sleeve and coupled with a bonus 7" single in a picture sleeve. CD buyers might not get such artistic endeavours, sorry.
But is it all style over substance? Thankfully not. For their fourth album proper, the West Coast psychedelic rockers have compiled eight fairly similar wig-outs that recall The Byrds, Triptides, The Church, 13th Floor Elevators, Moon Duo (not surprisingly - guitarist Ripley is in the band), Tame Impala and Inspiral Carpets, though not all at once. We're talking motorik Mellotron-driven workouts (the superb 'Ghouls') and fuzzy trips galore (title-track, 'These Shadows'), topped off with some retro space-dust and natty guitar work ('Other Stars').
Eight songs is normally plenty for lengthy workouts and thankfully Wooden Shjips don't outstay their welcome, even when it's time to pop the 7" on and wonder at its contents. But ultimately, I've been returning to the effervescent 'Servants' for my fix of squally feedback and glacial guitars. One grumble - the vocals are way too quiet on some of the tunes, annoying when they're generally pleasing in an Alan Vega kind-a way.
Back To Land:
Thrill Jockey:
Out Now:
★★★★
But is it all style over substance? Thankfully not. For their fourth album proper, the West Coast psychedelic rockers have compiled eight fairly similar wig-outs that recall The Byrds, Triptides, The Church, 13th Floor Elevators, Moon Duo (not surprisingly - guitarist Ripley is in the band), Tame Impala and Inspiral Carpets, though not all at once. We're talking motorik Mellotron-driven workouts (the superb 'Ghouls') and fuzzy trips galore (title-track, 'These Shadows'), topped off with some retro space-dust and natty guitar work ('Other Stars').
Eight songs is normally plenty for lengthy workouts and thankfully Wooden Shjips don't outstay their welcome, even when it's time to pop the 7" on and wonder at its contents. But ultimately, I've been returning to the effervescent 'Servants' for my fix of squally feedback and glacial guitars. One grumble - the vocals are way too quiet on some of the tunes, annoying when they're generally pleasing in an Alan Vega kind-a way.