If you've missed out on the fairly massive psychedelic total fuzz doom stoner rock explosion the last few years, well, you've missed out. It's not so much that a lot of bands are channeling their inner 1970 Sabbath and letting things rip, but rather the expanse of ideas that have come out of this venerable sound.

leafdrinker Nausea (self-released)

These New Orleans boys play long songs, short songs, instrumentals and songs with vocals. They don't stint on the fuzz, but more importantly they don't stint on the songwriting. I hear bits of Slint, the Jesus Lizard and other Touch and Go artists in many of these rambles. In any case, leafdrinker is well-versed in punk deconstruction. Oh, and more reverb than a mind ought to be able to process.

That balance between godlike riffage and sonic reprocessing might be hard for some, but leafdrinker's approach seems to make it simple. These boys simply take this sound, turn it inside out and then refashion it into something refreshing and thrilling. The not-exactly lo-fi production is ancient, modern and totally alive.

While this album has been split into songs, it's much better appreciated as a whole. Let the carnage flow and swim with the debris. You might get ear blisters, but that's a small price to pay. Overwhelming ecstasy should never be taken for granted.

Jon Worley