(January 2020) Episode 247 is POND. Yet another quality contemporary psychedelic band out of Perth, Australia. I like their fuzzy, garage-y sound of the early ’10s more than the synth pop that followed Hobo Rocket.
Favourite album: Beard, Wives, Denim
Favourite song: Fantastic Explosion of Time
Compared to expectations: same
(January 2020) Episode 245 is OH SEES (also known as OCS and Thee Oh Sees). One of my favorite bands of the ’10s; a good representation of the music I’ve been into in recent years, although its style is hard to describe. Their initial lo-fi experimentalism is not so interesting, but they hit the gas around 2010 with psychedelic garage-rock freakouts. The evolution to space- and prog-rock in the recent albums is excellent.
Favorite song: The Dream
Favorite album: Floating Coffin
Compared to expectations: ↑
(October 2019) Episode 235 is THE KNICKERBOCKERS. I did this on the strength of their 1965 song “Lies” — the song that sounds more like the Beatles of that era than the Beatles themselves. This New Jersey outfit had a few other groovy recordings as they responded to the sounds of the British Invasion, although outnumbered by their tepid covers.
Favorite song: Lies
Compared to expectations: same
(July 2019) Episode 223 of my “opus project” is the BLACK KEYS. I find their initial southern-fried (although they’re from Ohio), bluesy garage rock better in concept than execution due to Dan Auerbach’s reliance on monotonous, laconic vocals. But for me, they pick it up starting with Attack & Release (thanks, Danger Mouse) with a diversified approach and instrumentation. Black Keys satisfies.
Favorite album: El Camino
Favorite song: Gold on the Ceiling
Compared to expectations: same
(July 2019) Episode 221 of my “opus project” is THE STANDELLS. You may know this mid-1960s garage band from the song “Dirty Water” (you might think they’re from Boston, but they’re not; they’re from LA). Sometimes called the “punk band of the 1960s” (for a clue, listen to “Riot on the Sunset Strip”) due to influences claimed by the Ramones and Sex Pistols. Good stuff.
Favorite album: Dirty Water
Favorite song: Riot on the Sunset Strip
Compared to expectations: same
(May 2019) Episode 216 of my “opus project” is MIKE KROL. Garage rock that’s loud, distorted, frenetic, humorous. It’s like hemoglobin for me. If you like Ty Segall or Oh Sees, check this guy out. (This may be the first artist in the Project whose first recording came out in the current decade.)
Favorite album: Turkey
Favorite song: Little Drama
Compared to expectations: ↑
(May 2019) Episode 214 of my “opus project” is THE CHOCOLATE WATCHBAND. A late 1960s Bay Area outfit that combined gritty garage rock and psychedelic sounds — shoot this directly into my veins! While they didn’t have a hit that endured in the popular consciousness, it’s good stuff. Like several groups of that period, some surviving members hit the revival circuit, and even, as septuagenarians, released an album this year (it’s not bad).
Favorite album: The Inner Mystique
Favorite song: Are You Gonna Be There (At the Love-In)
Compared to expectations: same
(March 2019) I have completed episode 205 of my “opus project.” This edition: GREEN DAY. Based on their radio play, I had dismissed them as safe-space punk for the masses. But with this review, I was selling them far short. The rhythm section is *chef’s kiss* and the guitars are hooky and loud. Early on, the over-production was unsuited to the genre, but as they grew the songwriting caught up and broadened into power pop and guitar rock. Billy Joe’s affected vocals, once irritating and dominating, got better integrated. Green Day is a model for how a band matures and adds dynamism without letting go of their foundational tone.
Favorite album: Insomniac
Favorite song: American Idiot
Favorite power ballad: Redundant
Favorite rock opera: 21st Century Breakdown (better than American Idiot)
Special sauce: Tré Cool
Compared to expectations: ⇑
(October 2018) I have completed episode 185 of my “opus project.” This edition: THE HIVES. Inject this punk-inflected garage rock directly into my veeeeiiiins! Regrettably, I did not come upon The Hives until recently, because It Me. If you don’t know them, make them Your New Favourite Band.
Favourite album: Veni Vidi Vicious
Favourite song: Die, All Right!
Compared to expectations: same
(July 2018) I have completed episode 174 of my “opus project.” This edition: The LEN PRICE 3. If you like early The Who, early Kinks, or garage rock in general, you should check out this contemporary revivalist group. It’s like listening through a kick-ass time machine.
Favorite album: Pictures
Favorite song: Mr. Grey
Compared to expectations: same
Opus Project 