Stumbling upon this band after reading an intriguing interview (albeit several years after it was initially published), I popped The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In from Thee Oh Sees in my stereo expecting some acoustic lo-fi recordings. Instead, what I heard was a hundred times better as the "Block of Ice" exuberantly bounced out of the stereo speakers. The groove that Thee Oh Sees drop on this song is absolutely great, and the energy is completely infectious to the point where whenever I play the record, I cannot help but listen to the song repeatedly. This song is rock perfection incarnate as so few modern songs come close; swagger abounds as the dual male and female vocals bellow sass and attitude over the music.
This introduction obviously does The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In little justice, but it does at least describe the excellence that Thee Oh Sees offer on this album, which is in reality one of a slew of albums that are attributed to the band (evolving from a solo project of Jim Dwyer over the course of the project). My thoughts on the album are a mix of nostalgia (for old rock n roll a la Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, and early Johnny Cash) and excitement at just how much fun the songs sound as they play through the stereo. Imagine the wonder of watching the black slab rotate on the record player as a child and that is precisely the feeling that this album conjures as its songs play, each one as vibrant and full of life as the next. "You Will See This Dog Before You Die," "Visit Colonel," "Grave Yard Drug Party," and well most of the album all attest to that statement and dare you to disagree.
Technically speaking, Thee Oh Sees fashion a raw sounding record that works for the better due to the production quality of the album because it adds to the overall charm. If you are a fan of rock n roll, do not sleep on this band or this album in particular. In fact start with this album, The Master's Bedroom is Worth Spending a Night In, then check out the others in reverse chronological order while keeping an eye out for new records by the band.
