Thee American Revolution – Buddha Electrostorm

Although active since 2004, this frazzled psych duo – comprised of Craig Morris, and The Apples in Stereo’s Robert Schneider – didn’t produce an LP before 2009, when Buddha Electrostorm saw a limited US release; only now is the record being made widely available. The band operate with a fairly restricted sonic palette, having developed an infectiously stomping take on overdriven garage rock, that layers scuzzy noise over an abundance of pop hooks.

The formula can be closely aligned with the duo’s similarly-named compatriots Thee Oh Sees, and although these songs tend to lack the frenetic energy of the latter outfit, they compensate with instantly memorable choruses – particularly on the Stones-esque Power House, which underpins crunching riffs with some epic-sounding strings. As the tardiness in producing and releasing Buddha Electrostorm indicates, Thee American Revolution are evidently no more than a side-project for Schneider and Morris; but for all its frivolity, it’s an enjoyable diversion.