Castle Face Records

Osees: A Foul Form [Album Review]

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OseesA Foul FormCastle Face Records [2022] John Dwyer has never been one to take something lying down. Just in case you needed a reminder, their latest album A Foul Form should be all the reminder you need. This self-described brain cracker not only decimates the stem, but rips through the listener’s entire senses. This rudimentary … Read more

Premiere Video: Flaccid Mojo – “Garbage People”

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“This one’s for all the floaters, the riders, and the late night screechers.” – Aaron Warren How about a little early mind meld to kickstart your day? TFN has just the fix as today’s video premiere is from L.A.’s Flaccid Mojo which consists of Black Dice members Bjorn Copeland and Aaron Warren. Their new single … Read more

Osees – “Funeral Solution” [Video]

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Osees have announced their forthcoming album, A Foul Form, due August 12 via Castle Face Records. To kick off the album cycle, they’re shared the record’s first single, “Funeral Solution,” alongside an accompanying music video by Logan Feser. Speaking on the forthcoming record, certified Osees fan, Black Flag’s Henry Rollins, wrote: “Osees don’t seem to … Read more

Grave Flowers Bongo Band: Strength Of Spring [Album Review]

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Grave Flowers Bongo Band Strength Of SpringCastle Face Records [2021] When Grave Flowers Bongo Band’s debut album Flower Pot came out on L.A.’s Permanent Records in 2018, it was something of an anomaly. It was different from the usual garage and psych records Permanent puts out (like Frankie and the Witch Fingers, among others), and … Read more

Osees: Panther Rotate [Album Review]

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OseesPanther RotateCastle Face Records [2020] Anymore it is almost a given that some of John Dwyer’s output will lean towards the experimental side of things. Especially, after the visceral release of Protean Threat, it only makes sense that Panther Rotate was billed as a remix album of its big brother. Turns out, Panther Rotate is … Read more

Population II: À la Ô Terre [Album Review]

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Population IIÀ la Ô TerreCastle Face Records [2020] It seems that 2020 has been the year for the power psych genre to move from the shadows and into the spotlight. Montreal’s, Population II is the newest in the genre with their Castle Face Records debut LP À la Ô Terre. The name of the group … Read more

Osees: Protean Threat [Album Review]

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OseesProtean ThreatCastle Face Records [2020] Who: OCS, The Ohsees, The Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees, Oh Sees, and Osees. Whatever they want to call themselves hail from San Francisco, California and have been making music since 2003. Sound: Osees have always had a knack for sounds of the otherworldly. These dungeon master punks brandish their … Read more

Bent Arcana: Bent Arcana [Album Review]

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Bent Arcana Bent ArcanaCastle Face Records [2020] Who: John Dwyer’s Bent Arcana was quite a surprise. To call them a supergroup doesn’t feel quite right but the players are on point. Filling out the line up: Ryan Sawyer, Peter Kerlin, Kyp Malone, Brad Caulkins, Tom Dolas, Marcos Rodriguez, Laena “Geronimo” Myers-Ionita, Joce Soubiran, and Andres … Read more

Damaged Bug: Bug On Yonkers [Album Review]

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Damaged BugBug On YonkersCastle Face Records [2020] Bug On Yonkers is the new album from John Dwyer’s (Oh Sees) Damaged Bug moniker and it quite possibly may be the best listen in their catalog. The even more interesting thing about this album is that it is a set of covers from Michael Yonkers. Michael Yonkers? … Read more

Brigid Dawson & The Mother’s Network – “Is The Season For New Incarnations” [Video]

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Brigid Dawson & The Mothers Network have shared the video for their single, “Is The Season For New Incarnations.” On the inspiration behind the video director Arturo Baston described, “from alchemist transmutation circles to meditative sacred geometry. Mystic, occult, and spiritual graphic devices adapted and mixed all together to illustrate the relation between the forces … Read more

Once & Future Band: Deleted Scenes [Album Review]

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Once & Future Band Deleted Scenes Castle Face Records [2020] Progressive rock music in 2020 is still far from the norm but Oakland’s Once & Future Band have a flare to them that brings a modern touch to their classic ELO and Alan Parsons Project sound on their sophomore album Deleted Scenes. For this record … Read more

Oh Sees: Face Stabber [Album Review]

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Oh Sees Face Stabber Castle Face Records [2019] Who: Again as the Oh Sees, John Dwyer continues his annual musical journey with another prog/psych/punk experience with Face Stabber. Sound: More prog than previous efforts that has links to Yes and Pink Floyd that runs extra-long at over 80-minutes. TFN Final Take: The constant production of … Read more

Oh Sees: Smote Reverser [Album Review]

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Oh Sees Smote Reverser Castle Face Records [2018] Fire Note Says: Oh Sees return with an eclectic serving for their 21st LP Album Review: Oh Sees (Formerly Thee Oh Sees, The Oh Sees, OCS) frontman, John Dwyer, recently gave an interview to Billboard.com in which he speaks on the bands creative ethos and art in … Read more

The Friday Fire Track: Oh Sees – “Overthrown”

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The always changing John Dwyer and his Oh Sees consistently give TFN something to look forward to! The Friday Fire Track today does just that as it features the new super hard prog-metal single, “Overthrown,” from Oh Sees. The song is from the upcoming full length Smote Reverser which is due out in August via … Read more

ORB: Naturality [Album Review]

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ORB Naturality Castle Face/Flightless Records [2017] Who: ORB hail from Australia and run around with label mates King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard which are both on Flightless and Castle Face Records. Naturality is their sophomore record. Sound: The band is known for their thunderous heavy sludge riffs. Naturality continues this muscle but now finds … Read more

Kelley Stoltz: Que Aura [Album Review]

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Kelley Stoltz Que Aura Castle Face Records [2017] Kelley Stoltz continues to fly under the radar with his addicting psych indie rock. His newest long player on Castle Face, Que Aura, has a slickness to it that feels natural and seems easy for Stoltz as he incorporates plenty of keyboard snyth floating songs with his … Read more

Oh Sees: Orc [Album Review]

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Oh Sees Orc Castle Face Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Orc holds no limits and sounds as free as anything the Oh Sees have released. Album Review: What’s in a name? For John Dwyer, it doesn’t seem to matter much as his OCS/The Oh Sees/Thee Oh Sees/Oh Sees project continues to morph its 20 year … Read more

Magnetix: Live In San Francisco [Album Review]

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Magnetix Live In San Francisco Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Magnetix are a two-piece French garage-electro rock group with a catalog of singles and several albums that date back to 2002. Sound: Clearly being featured on Castle Face’s Live In San Francisco series, it is easy to hear some Oh Sees in the guitar and … Read more

Dream Machine: The Illusion [Album Review]

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Dream Machine The Illusion Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Dream Machine is a new band from lo-fi master Matthew Melton (Bare Wires, Warm Soda) and his wife Doris. Sound: You get Melton’s craft of fuzzed up power pop with the late 60’s / early 70’s rock of The Doors, Deep Purple and Iron Butterfly. This … Read more

Damaged Bug: Bunker Funk [Album Review]

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Damaged Bug Bunker Funk Castle Face Records [2017] Who: Damaged Bug is the very low profile side project of the super busy John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees and Castle Face Records fame. Sound: Damaged Bug separates itself out from Dwyer’s other work by focusing more on synths and electronic noises. It has a krautrock … Read more

Once & Future Band: Once & Future Band [Album Review]

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Once & Future Band Once & Future Band Castle Face Records [2017] Fire Note Says: Oakland band strives to make Prog cool again. Album Review: The first thing that catches one’s attention is the label. What’s an unabashedly progressive rock band doing on John Dwyer’s Castle Face imprint? Known more for promoting Bay area neo-psych … Read more

Feral Ohms: Live In San Francisco [Album Review]

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Feral Ohms Live In San Francisco Castle Face Records [2016] Who: Hailing from Oakland, Ca. power trio Feral Ohms is like a good friend. Feral Ohms doesn’t overstay their welcome, they have fun all the while kicking your ass, and finally you have to know when you can hang out again. Sound: What really caught … Read more