White Hills: H-p1

Label: Thrill Jockey

I am a massive fan of the rock that is psychedelic, and honestly, I have never heard a White Hills record that blew me away—which is what all psych-rock fans want, to be blown to pieces by the stuff. Till now! (Of course! Why else would I tell you all this?) The New York trio's new H-p1 is maximal in every possible way, a 70-minute-plus jaw-dropper that hits every necessary lysergic G-spot in your medulla. The first thing I noticed that I had not heard before was a truly badass buzzsaw guitar sound out of frontman Dave W. (the production must be noted, courtesy of tertiary Oneida member Shahin Motia). But that's just one of the many things White Hills have scaled upward: The mood is intense yet somehow lucid for the duration (the members have talked about the album's political themes, and with that in mind, it all becomes even more bracing), and the songs just feel unbounded. Two monoliths—the dread-gathering, slow-howling "No Other Way" and the speedier, more acutely angry "Paradise" (consumers, I think they're talking to you...I mean us), both surpassing 10 minutes -- center this massive set, but there are no off-moments on H-p1. Everything is on here. Take a deep breath, keep your eyes wide open, and jump on in.