V.

"The dyed-in-the-wool psych-rock band returns with some of their most accessible songs to date, full of fuzz-pedal jams that capture moments of fleeting happiness in dark days".

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"The sound unfolds slowly and gracefully, like an opening flower. There are psychedelic drones, metronomic, krautrock drums and counter-melodies on horns ... Everything is underpinned by solid songwriting and pop hooks, never more so than in the twangy Already Gone, while the keyboard/bass-surging Ride On is grandly epic. Throughout, Johnson's guitar wanders delicately across the sound with spectral beauty. It's an album of hazy intensity, perfect for these times and this summer".

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"V. is indeed the fifth album from Portland-based garage-psych quartet Wooden Shjips, but as the cover art indicates, its title is also meant to resemble a two-finger peace sign. In reaction to the political climate as well as natural disasters, such as a forest fire which occurred outside of Portland, the group decided to make a peaceful, positive album in order to quell unrest and anxiety. The result isn't a major departure from what fans of the Shjips have come to expect, as the group will seemingly always stick to a surging, hypnotic brand of Krautrock-inspired minimalism. This time out, however, their sense of optimism is undeniable. Their playing is energetic and in good spirits, and most importantly, their positivity never sounds forced or unnatural".

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"Der er noget ved sammenstødet mellem sommerstemning og katastrofe, der gør 'V.' spændende at lytte til - måden hvorpå oprøret og gløderne ulmer under den dybe fred.Jeg ved ikke, hvor længe de psykedeliske noter kan blive ved med at fænge og fortælle os noget, men her er der akkurat gang nok i gløderne, til at det stadig fungerer.Instrumenterne stræber mod det samme formål - de flammende guitarer, den alvorstunge basfigur, hornsektionerne og de monotone trommer, der med improviseret perfektionisme og i samlet flok danner et døsigt modsvar til en verden i brand".

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