Psychedelic rock (or psych rock, or whathaveyou) means different things to different people. It means many different things to No Thee No Ess, for that matter. If you feel like attempting to categorize this band in any way, that is.

No Thee No Ess Dimmer Switch (Surk Records)

Paul Battenbough and Andy Funk have been thrashing out NTNE albums for some time now, and they're remarkable for their diversity of sound. Yeah, there's plenty of distortion and a bit of reverb. Yeah, there's also a healthy dose of proggy noodling. A bit of spacey groove flits in and out. And then there are times when the band simply exits reality. That, to be sure, is truly psychedelic.

But what this project does is create music that really says something. The music, I mean. There are some vocals here and there, but the music does a much better job of exploring ideas than the lyrics. I know I'm biased that way, but I still think it's true in this case.

Noisy and starkly quiet, bubbly and wan, this album traverses a wide array of ideas and feelings. Making sense of all that is the trick, and No Thee No Ess has turned it well. Whether headed to the outer reaches or deepest inner space, this album is a wonder.

Jon Worley