Thee Oh Sees have gone through various band name permutations, but the one thing their earlier releases had in common was their ubiquitious crappiness; hence my surprise at the quality of this, their most recent album. A sort of sprawling lo-fi epic, rough at the edges, and altogether charming. If I had to classify it, I guess I'd say that it's "folk/country/indie rock," but that wouldn't get across the sheer fun that the band seemed to be having in the studio. It's probably at least a couple tracks too long, but I wouldn't really want it any different.

The Shaky Hands do jangly indie pop very well; those disappointed by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!’s follow up might fruitfully direct their attention here. This album is full of loose production and off-kilter vocals, but somehow it all works. Also, perhaps surprisingly, the best tracks (and lyrics) on this album are to be found in the slower "ballads" (for lack of a better word), which are bittersweet and beautifully written.