The opening bars of Goshen 97 sound exactly like what you’d hear if you went back to 1992 and asked Dinosaur Jr or Teenage Fanclub to record a cover of Morrissey’s We Hate it When Our Friends Become Successful. In other words: utterly magnificent. And not entirely surprising, since that’s none other than J Mascis bringing his matchless talents to bear.

It doesn’t let up after the intro: this opening track from Strand of Oaks’ fourh album Heal is nothing less than a rip-snorting romp, all in-your-face with its riffs and howl. And all in a song about living the dream by way of living the nightmare before the dream:

I was rotting in the basement

Buying Casios with my friend

Then I found my dad’s old tape machine

Thats where the magic began

Heal is out now on Dead Oceans.