Thee Oh Sees

HANK ALTOGETHER:

You might also know this band as The Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees and formerly OCS, Orange County Sound, or Orinoka Crash Suite. That's a lot of names for John Dwyer formerly of Pink and Brown and the Coachwhips. What began as a side project (with many names) has evolved into a more regular band unit that's making the trek to Europe (that's on the other side of the pond for some of you) this summer. Dwyer's restlessness with names for this band is reflected in their sound.

They have 5 full length albums. I don't know the first 3, but the last two are radically different but rewarding in their own way.

SUCKS BLOOD from 2007. Is a high-wire act of melodies, complimented by a singing saw and Brigid Dawson's brilliant harmonies with Dwyer's vocals. It's not nearly as noisy as Pink and Brown or the Coachwhips, but manages to keep their experimental sound, only this time bartering distortion for harmony.

THE MASTER'S BEDROOM IS WORTH SPENDING A NIGHT IN, from 2008 sounds like a garage rock masterpiece. It's dirty in all the right ways while keeping some of the melodic elements from SUCKS BLOOD in place.