Brash, but systematized synth-punk
Intercepted Message is yet another chapter of the constantly growing, eccentric San Francisco-based rock band Thee Oh Sees, going by their recent shorthand moniker “OSEES” for this release. The band has an impressive catalog of over 20 studio albums, trading various influences and sounds throughout each project. Lately the group has taken up a specific synth-punk sound that is both refreshing and jolting. This album packs a punch with the same exact mannerisms of a quality candy bar. It is tasty and easy to indulge in. It has strong fundamental flavors, which in this case would be the overarching synth and punk attributes that take a major hold on the project’s overall sound. On the other hand, there is a plethora of other concepts within Intercepted Message, other flavors cultivated through the band’s vast history of experimentation with different genres. To put this in simpler terms, it is hard to get bored of such a fast-paced, specific yet broad collection of songs. Like a great candy bar, this album can be consumed quickly and without much thought, all while leaving the listener with a desire to start it all over and enjoy it once again.
“Intercepted Message,” the self-titled track on this album feels like an absolute hit. It has a strong skate-punk sensation to it, possibly dragging out the inner rebel from even the most peaceful music fanatics. This energy is multiplied with the implementation of synths. The new-wave inclusion of instrumental arrangements sets “Intercepted Message” far apart from any other typical punk song. It almost acts as an alarm, a reminder to get up and dance. This song is guaranteed to make anybody thrash while collectively bringing together lovers of hardcore, punk, indie and electronica. Despite everything going on in this song, lead singer John Dwyer manages to cut through and take the forefront of the mix, almost acting as a ringleader to the chaos.
“Goon” is another notable track on Intercepted Message, as it possesses an extremely powerful duality between retro and modern sounds. On one hand, the guitars, bass, drums and vocals feel very standard, very stereotypical to what an OSEES fan might expect. However, the synthesizers on this piece are specifically intriguing as they not only add a sense of liquidity to the mix through their white noise capabilities, but also encourage the overall catchiness of this tune as they truly seem to be a perfect accompaniment to the gritty specific rock sound OSEES possesses. Overall this album is a blatant must-listen. The stylistic and musical choices are flawless along with every other working piece in the puzzle that is Intercepted Message.
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