Singles Collection, Vol. 3

A few of the songs on this collection are recognizably "singles" in tone and form--"Ugly Man," "Wait Let's Go," "Always Flying," "Devil Again" all have at least three chords, run four minutes or less, and have "ba-ba-ba" choruses. But most of them head directly into that kinked-up corner of the song that repeatedly pulls at Dwyer's imagination, the spot where the song's narrative action swings shut and the groove hinges open.

Vol. 3 is the best of these singles collections yet, with some downright gems and curious if imperfect steps into the unknown. Most importantly, it shows that Dwyer and Thee Oh Sees are far from settling into a groove, even as the band seems to be more locked in than ever.

Good fun for confirmed followers, and not a bad sampler for those needing a taste of Thee Oh Sees' special brew.

Long-time fans who have a completist urge will find owning these tracks in one stylish package to be a necessity (the vinyl’s “silver foil jacket with incredible tritone all-original artwork” looks dope), while new listeners will get a good survey of the diverse songwriting and groove-heavy garage/psych rock of Thee Oh Sees.