Since High Watt Electrocutions main man Ryan Settee prescribed a headphone listen in the liner notes, I broke out my dusty old pair and went for it as directed. Yes, I do everything liner notes tell me. It?s not a bad way to go through life. Beats religion, anyhow.

Sure enough, as Settee promised, a listen to Desert Opuses (Introspection Records) — the second release from the Winnipeg songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer under the High Watt Electrocutions moniker following 2007?s Night Songs — through even the dingiest of headphones proved that the tonal richness and layered density is best experienced at close range and ridiculous volume. The ringing guitars of ?Slow March? that follow the distinctly Middle Eastern tones of ?Ode to Snakecharming? feel like they could eat your head whole and launch you on some psychedelic journey into the rainbow colored belly of a giant lizard. Like a scene out of some acid cartoon. Like Queens of the Stone Age gone spiritual.

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