Certifiably too lo-fi for YouTube’s draconian standards of quality, Thee Oh Sees’ now-classic collection of early live performances can now be streamed on Vimeo. It’s actually a pretty suitable home for Thee Hounds of Foggy Notion: among student films and hallucinogenic animation, the DVD rip serves as a testament to the charm of late-00s DIY.
Largely recorded outdoors in scenic San Francisco and originally released in 2008, this incarnation of John Dwyer’s psych-rock powerhouse feels strikingly subdued when compared to the band’s current output — vocals are tucked into the dreamscape by high-threadcount sheets of reverb, further obscured by the warmth of shoestring production. (Thee Hounds’ audio was recorded directly to an emergency backup mic fed directly into the camera).
What’s remained the same over the course of 11 years and at least three name changes is Dwyer’s unshakable eccentricity, whether he’s using his eyelids as a puppet to warn viewers of the DVD’s maddening properties or waxing philosophical on a van trip.
“As great as JPD is as a live performer, he was in absolute alpha epic story-teller genius mode during every single spare second of the journey,” says Hughes. “Brigid Dawson (vocals, keyboards) added some delicious gems as she always does. Petey Dammit (bass) is a pretty quiet private guy, but even he proved to be very funny when he gets loose. Patrick Mullins (drums, electronics, singing saw) on the other hand is literally Castleface. After editing through 40+ hours of footage of live performances and interstitial stories, it became very shockingly clear to myself, and editor Akiko Iwakawa, that his expression never ever ever changes. He is Castleface incarnate.”
On May 24, you’ll be able to scoop up the soundtrack to Thee Hounds on vinyl: a rarity that would otherwise run you a cool hundred bucks on Discogs. We premiered the record’s lone single, “Golden Phones,” in April — read more on that >here.
Thee Oh Sees- Thee Hounds Of Foggy Notion from Matt on Vimeo.
Thee Hounds of Foggy Notion / Live Performances Sans Stages And Whatnots With Thee Oh Sees track listing:
01. The Gilded Cunt
02. Island Raiders
03. Ship
04. Block of Ice
05. Curtains
06. Dumb Drums
07. We Are Free
08. Thee Hounds of Foggy Notion
09. Make Them Kiss
10. Golden Phones
11. If I Had A Reason
12. Highland Wife’s Lament
13. Dreadful Heart
14. Ghost In The Trees
15. Iceberg
16. Second Date