Osees – Intercepted Message review

To paraphrase a famous movie quote, listening to a new Osees album is like a box of chocolates; you really never know what you’re going to get. After 2022’s excellent, visceral A Foul Form John Dwyer and crew have shifted direction once more, the singer having it with us that their new effort constitutes “Early grade garage pop meets proto-synth punk suicide-repellant.”

A man who has a certain way with words, he uses that quality to good effect on Intercepted Message‘s title track with “Your king’s a c**t/He keeps you down”, but his claim that otherwise this is a sideways pop album is you have to assume said with a knowing smile.

Loquacious is not an accusation that’s going to be levelled at him often by listeners to for instance A Fish Needs A Bike, or Unusual and Cruel’s oddly zeroed pysch rock. Other perhaps than Goon things remain business very much as unusual throughout, right up until the crooned synth heavy chicanery of Almost At Night and closer Ladwp Hold’s lift music for upside down buildings.

Intercepted Message is like a box of chocolates alright; occasionally sweet, sometimes sticky and often melted beyond recognition. You’ll still be licking your fingers after it though.

You can read a full review here.