Wrinkled Thoughts

Eyesinweasel is the new project of former Guided By Voices guitarist Tobin Sprout and though the group's debut release, Wrinkled Thoughts, contains some of GBV's rugged indie pop sensibilities, it has more in common with Sprout's post-GBV solo releases, such as 1996's Carnival Boy and 1999's Let's Welcome the Circus People. In those efforts, Sprout kept his old band's keen knack for melody and songcraft but also added a greater care to the recording process. Wrinkled Thoughts continues Sprout's diligence in the studio (even if it's only an eight-track one) and contains theremin, harpsichord, piano, and, on songs such as "Slow Flanges," a delicacy that would've been completely out of place in GBV. That's not to say Sprout has gone Top 40, though. The lyrics are still skewed as hell ("a hundred monkey theory/an internet to the weary") and the album still has plenty of noise rock workouts such as "Hint #9," but overall it is a much more realized and mature record and the listener only benefits.