Preston School of Industry

With its somewhat deflated production (compared to 2001's All This Sounds Gas), PSOI's second full-length album finds strength and beauty in experimentation. Nothing sounds as catchy as "Falling Away," but songs like "Get Your Crayons Out!" (a collaboration with Wilco) bring a newfound psychedelia to the indie table.

Fronted by former Pavement second banana Spiral Stairs, PSI turn out mellow, shambling
rock, with Stairs' dry indie-boy voice pumping out dusky melodies and pensively out-there
lyrics -- which carry the tunes even when the rhythm section sounds like a wet noodle.
CHRISTIAN HOARD (RS 941, February 5, 2004)