There’s a sleepy, Rain Parade/Mazzy Star quality to “Teraphim,” the opening track on guitarist Lyn Vaus’ debut album, and Sweet Lou’s deadpan VU drawl trickles across “Felicity’s Shell” like the honey dripping down that model on the cover of the eponymous Ohio Players album. Thus the stage is set for a collection of downbeat floaters from the mind that brought us Next Stop Wonderland, the cause célèbre of the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. “San Francisco” ups the angst ante with a snarly guitar solo and swirling keyboards from Philip Stevenson – I think I can almost hear Vaus crack a smile! But then along comes “Rusted Child,” one of those meandering Neil Young-styled psychedelic dreams where the trip is more fun than the destination. Sung in an offkey, fuck-if-I-care tone, Vaus almost seems too bored to finish his own record, but hang in there and you’ll be glad he (and you) did. The smoky jazz stylings of “The Wheel” and the dirgy closer “Skull on a Hill” certainly won’t be crowd pleasers at your next kegger – hell, the whole album makes Berlin sound like a Disney soundtrack! This is slacker psychedelia for junkies, fans of David Roback, VU, Beck, and Joy Division. There’s even a vinyl version – just remember to, er, remove the needle when you’re done. 7/10 -- Jeff Penczak (30 June, 2010)