You ever read a review for an album, and the reviewer makes a comparison to another band that you didn’t think of, and that becomes ALL you can hear afterward? I’ve always though of Wand as this swirling, psychedelic garage rock that started with more of a punk blast off and now with new album Vertigo have settled into this flowing, cinematic psychedelic rock that sweeps you into its currents and takes you on a journey. That all still applies, but now I can’t help but hear how much this also sounds like Radiohead. In the best possible way, of course (I love Radiohead) but it’s slightly frustrating to have that implanted in my brain. It doesn’t capture the earthiness of the songs, or the aural narrative the album leads you through.

There are other comparisons to make, too, and I apologize in advance if you now think of “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” when you hear Cory Hanson’s vocal melody for opening track “Hangman”. Once you’re over that though it’s a beautiful wash of sound, loads of echo and tremolo building layers of ambience for Hanson’s vocals to float over. The punk urgency of albums like Ganglion Reef and Golem have over time softened, with 2017’s Plum signaling a direction that is much more sinewy in its reach. Subsequent records like Perfume and Laughing Matter continued the trend, but Vertigo feels like an arrival, an exhalation. I love the way “Hangman” segues into the extended coda of “Curtain Call”, allowing the basic riff to carry forth as Hanson and guitarist Robert Cody continue to explore different shades to color the groove.

There’s a hint of excitement in the bass that opens “Mistletoe” and the stab that occurs on the 3-count, and it’s maybe here that the Thom Yorke vibes feel strongest. “JJ” might be the most accessible track on Vertigo, but it’s also one of the most lovely songs, lyrically stabbing my nostalgia and insecurities as a child glued to the television and living inside my own head. Taken together with “Smile” it perfectly captures the strengths Wand bring to the indie/garage niche: they’re much more sincere and tender than a band like Osees (or Thee Oh Sees, or OCS, or whatever Dwyer comes up with next ) and much more consistent in musical spirit than Ty Segall, whose restless nature is a both a blessing and a curse at time (not this year, though). “Smile” in particular has everything I love about the band: the guitar tone is exquisite, always on the verge of breaking up into a shimmering cloud of distorted bliss. And if we’re continuing the trend of name-checking other bands I hear in the music, this gives me pleasant Oasis vibes, which is odd considering I don’t own a single Oasis album. Still, soothing “Champagne Supernova” nuances peek out of the corners of the song.

The second half of Vertigo settles into a lovely languid pace, with “High Time” a nice example of Wand bringing in noise elements to shape the track into something resembling a dream of a song. Does that make sense? I love how the repeated sound draws you further into Hanson’s vocals. By the time of “Seaweed Head” I’ve drifted off into an experience, which is something I crave from my music. I love this maturation of Wand, and hope they continue exploring within this space.