an Francisco psych stalwarts Sic Alps used work hard to make their rhythm section wobble, but on “Biz Bag”, the final track from the forthcoming She’s On Top EP, they give in and go straight. On last year’s self-titled LP, singer/guitarist Mike Donovan peeled back the lo-fi grit that coated the band’s previous output, turning in a softer, moodier, and more melodic set of songs. “Biz Bag” continues in that spirit, but punches harder, riding a garage rock riff played at a brisk, Wipers-worthy tempo.
The sloppy and uneven feel of Sic Alps’ older material enhanced the sense that it was music by and for the mentally ill. “Biz Bag,” on the other hand, is the work of rational folks who, while not totally clear headed, are at least with it enough to keep time. Recorded live with Chris Woodhouse, a frequent engineer for Thee Oh Sees, the band sounds tight and locked in, never stumbling in their sprint to the gristle-heavy guitar solo that awaits at minute two.