San Francisco band Osees released their 27th studio album, Intercepted Message. The Osees, fronted by John Dwyer, describes the release as a “Pop record for tired times”. The band was founded by Dwyer in 1997 and has clocked up 26 studio releases and numerous tours. The band’s lineups have evolved through many personnel configurations and name changes, but they have never abandoned their initial love of pithy punk songs.
Intercepted Message is a characteristic Osees’ album, with recording done quickly and the lyrics developed off the cuff with a let-it-flow nature. The album takes an engaging walk through garage rock, kraut rock, psychedelia and even folk music. The release channels many genres effectively while hat checking several popular artists but still comes off as individually unique. As Dwyer and Co draw from the various genres, they stay true to their origins and tight production. The underlying ethos appears to be old-school punk and 90’s era punk revival.
Intercepted Message opens with the explosive energy of the album’s first release, “Stunner.” This toe-tapper delivers a healthy chunk of a punk vibe, with just enough electronica to set it apart, as the lyrics address girls who are stunners. “Blank Chems” has a more new age flare with underlying punk tones; think Devo in their heyday. It is another track that makes you want to pogo around the room as the lyrics address the question of control and medicating. Of particular note are the excellent drums in the selection. The title track, “Intercepted Message”, is a full-on attack that inspirationally mixes pop, punk and new wave. This song could have easily been included in a soundtrack for any John Hughes movie in the 80s. Throughout the brief song, Dwyer questions the messages we get from authority.
“Die Laughing” is an unexpected eclectic number with a spectacular funk section that harkens to Parliament- Funkadelic with interstellar synths making for a winning track. From that strong outing, the album continues its winning ways with “Unusual & Cruel.” The track is channelling David Bowie circa “Man Who Saved the World” down to the spaceship landing at the end, adding great guitar licks and psychedelic punk. Throughout the release, Dwyer can channel his inner personality, conveying impressive tracks that keep the listener entranced.
The reggae-influenced “The Fish Needs a Bike” thematically takes on the Irina Dunn/Gloria Steinem feminist quote “, A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle” and questions what if a fish needs a bike. The song is a great mid 90’s punk revival track with aforementioned reggae flashes. “Goon” is the peak of punk goodness on the recording, delivering a hefty injection of 70’s punk oomph. The Pop genre gets an impressive representation with the tracks “Chao’s Heart” and “Submerged Building.”
The band swivels from the prior straight pop pair with “Sleazoid Psycho”, which reveals a punk pop track going 100 miles an hour as it describes the interior thoughts of every modern abnormal true crime character. The last two songs on the release take a step away from all the psychedelic punk pop goodness, instead getting dramatic and melancholy. “Always at Night” is the longest track on the release clocking in at 7 minutes. This stunning offering is a shimmering selection that harkens to Nick Cave stylings. It is simply beautiful and moving. After that listening experience, it seems perfectly apt for the album to end with an instrumental that is a swirling, almost ethereal concoction. The song drifts off and then surprisingly ends with a found sound of a customer service operator jarring the listener into reality—a risky decision but apt when considering the twists and turns of the release.
On Intercepted Message, the Osees have not lost any of their verve, determination or insightfulness as they get chronologically older. The entire album times in less than 42 minutes but accomplishes a lot in the period. This release is like coming home for listeners who grew up during the punk era and later loved bands like the Pixies, who kept things simple. Osees get the job done without belabouring the point. Intercepted Message is a stellar release that should thrill older fans and draw new adherents.
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