Review Summary: TAHISS know exactly how to orchestrate the psychedelia. WSSR is like wandering across some distant, hazy planet as the sun sets and the stars begin to appear.
The 60's and 70's were the defining era for psychedelic rock and TAHISS obviously take a huge influence from their forefathers, Pink Floyd and the Dead. They do this all without being monotonous and find their own sound by blending together sounds reminiscent of early Floyd, Deep Purple and even Neil Young. The album really shines during the melodic guitar passages and they do a great job also with the fuzzed out gloomier tracks.
The vocals stand out more on some tracks but overall they meander nicely over the flowing guitar leads. The lyrics tend to be a bit hard to catch, especially during the louder, fuzzed out parts. This may be the only weak point but this is not strange for the style being played.The way the keys/organ mesh with the guitars and create harmonies that continue being hummed in your mind throughout the day." The Slumbering Ones" is a stunning daydream of a duet, adding female vocals and a shining flute melody. The album brings to mind a more organic sound scape during some songs while others encourage a nice drift through a sea of shimmering nebulae.
This kind of spaced out melancholy has a certain beauty that really shines on this album. The drawn out "Ohhhs" and "Ahhhs" some psychedelic styled bands use are either hit or miss to me. WSSR features them with great taste and without over using them. While it may seem that spacey psychedelic rock may certainly conjure the great void and celestial bodies to mind, WSSR has a certain western tinge hanging around throughout the album. It is more apparent in some tracks than others but, I could certainly picture a lone rider wandering through a vast plain of magnificent unearthly growth.
The highlights of the album for me would be the grand riffs and soaring ending solo of "Two Birds", the aforementioned duet on "The Slumbering Ones" and the melancholic chorus of "By the Rippling Green". The fuzzed out melodies will captivate the listener completely, perfect for a spring/summer drive. Fans of Psychedelic Rock have a real treasure right here.
