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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
It’s those oxymoronical twists and turns that make Osees a delight to hear from every time as they power through their blend of scuzzy garage psych-punk and throw everything possible at you, just to keep you on your toes.
80
Osees, the latest incarnation of the Oh Sees, debuted last year with a 40-minute two-track electronica ambient instrumental, but here John Dwyer returns to thrashing, galloping warped punk, albeit with a more pronounced funk feel.
1mo
80
OSees are skipping across a plethora of musical touchstones, and continuing to blaze their own trail as expansive psych-rock pioneers.
80
Much of the album has the jagged, buzzing insanity of early Oh Sees records, but where those records were blasts of noise, here the jazz and prog influences the band have gotten into so deeply invest the songs with a chewy oddness that helps them hit harder than they might otherwise.
70
Even though Protean Threat proves to be an adventurous, quirky and downright strange album at times, Osees manage keep the whole thing sonically grounded and consumable, all while keeping Dwyer's winning streak impossibly alive.
60
The restless vigour of Protean Threat ... testifies to the invigorating properties of that breakfast of champions.
1mo
60
There will be moments at which you'll wonder which parts of this wildly diverse album you’re actually supposed to be enjoying, but it's certainly never boring.
Osees may continue to shorten their name over the last few years, going from Thee Oh Sees to Oh Sees and now to this incarnation of the group, but their sound here remains wholly intact as it has for a very long time. The psych-rock outfit have continued to expand their massive discography by at least one album a year for almost two decades now since their OCS days, now putting out their twenty third big damn album.
What is most impressive about Osees collection of albums is that they rarely, ... read more
What is most impressive about Osees collection of albums is that they rarely, ... read more
This album sounds like what I imagine stumbling through Times Square on mescaline feels like.
Their more recent albums have been plagued by jam sessions extended WAYYYY longer than necessary.
But on this album they restrict their lengths to be much shorter, usually somewhere around 2-4 minutes. And just like before, the longer tracks (while not even being long) are much more boring than the usually thrilling and addicting short tracks peppered throughout. The guitars are fuzzy, the drums are groovy, the riffs are catchy, and the vocals are weird. Definitely recommend this to anyone ... read more
But on this album they restrict their lengths to be much shorter, usually somewhere around 2-4 minutes. And just like before, the longer tracks (while not even being long) are much more boring than the usually thrilling and addicting short tracks peppered throughout. The guitars are fuzzy, the drums are groovy, the riffs are catchy, and the vocals are weird. Definitely recommend this to anyone ... read more
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Track List
- Scramble Suit II
- Dreary Nonsense
- Upbeat Ritual
- Red Study
- Terminal Jape
- Wing Run
- Said the Shovel
- Mizmuth
- If I Had My Way
- Toadstool
- Gong of Catastrophe
- Canopnr '74
- Persuaders Up!
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1d
The score should be higher guys its much better than Smote Reverser and Face Stabber
1mo
The shorter length of this record and the stunning new single, Dreary Nonsense, has me very excited for this album!
1mo
i’m glad they’re cutting back the album length i was afraid they were gonna continue down the Face Stabber path
1mo
Looks like they also have another album after this called Metamorphosed which is five songs they cut from Face Stabber. Releasing on limited vinyl in October, and officially in January 2021. Dunno if this is confirmed but I got this info from the subreddit. Protean Threat is confirmed though so hype
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Added on: July 28, 2020