The Bandcamp page for Mouth Reader’s latest full-length, Holographic Phase, says it was released in April 2018. I know this not to be true as I have been anxiously awaiting a release from the band since the release of the single “Eyes Sink” back in December of 2017. It took almost two years but the wait was worth it.
Holographic Phase is a full-blast of energy fueled through psych rock styles much in the same vein of Thee Oh Sees (or Oh Sees or OCS or whatever their current moniker is). That comparison is not meant to indicate a full-on clone of sound or execution but merely provide a starting point for what’s in store. Tracks like “So Fucked” and the aforementioned “Eyes Sink” are brain melting with their fevered output; complete with various yelps of unbridled energy and phasing guitars for that extra head spin. Fortunately, Mouth Reader keeps it interesting by switching it up with the likes of somewhat gentler, poppier numbers like “Hello Mr. My Friend” or the persistently emphatic album closer “I Woke Up”.
The psych scene in Nashville has been delivering some extremely enjoyable gems as of late (apt given that Far Out III is right around the corner) and Holographic Phase fits right in. Well worth cranking up to maximum volumes on multiple occasions.