The Odyssey Cult's 'Vol. 3' Turns a Solo Project Into a Psych Cathedral
Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 both landed in 2017, and then The Odyssey Cult went quiet for the better part of a decade. Vol. 3, out August 21st on Silver Current Records, ends that — and it does so by turning what had been Ethan Miller’s solo outlet into something much larger. Stereogum’s framing is the right one: raw but grand, melodic but noisy, familiar but exploratory.
The Sonic Breakdown
The Production & Mix
The Low-End: Miller laid the foundation first with Ben Flashman on bass — his Comets On Fire bandmate — and Anthony Taibi of Carlton Melton on keys. That trio is the bedrock the rest of the record gets stacked onto, and it’s why the album never sounds like a jam session with famous guests: the bottom was decided before anyone else walked in.
The Spatial Dynamics: Steve Shelley, formerly of Sonic Youth, added drums after the fact — playing to music that already existed rather than counting it in. Shelley and Miller already work together in Orcutt Shelley Miller, and it shows; the drums respond to the songs instead of anchoring them, which gives the whole record an unusual floating quality. Zoh Amba’s saxophone, plus vocals from Brigid Dawson of Osees, Paula Frazer of Tarnation and Inna Showalter of Magic Fig, arrive on top as colour rather than cameo.
Standout Performance
Shelley, for the discipline of arriving last. Drumming onto a finished bed is the least glamorous job on a psych record and the easiest one to overplay. He doesn’t.
Why It’s Certified
Eight tracks: “The Yeti’s Eyes,” “Sun Damage,” “On Neon Tigers,” “Our First Trip,” “Leviathan,” “Back To The Cave,” “The Night Archer,” “Ammenglade.” Stereogum’s verdict is the honest one — it “doesn’t reinvent psychedelic rock, but it sure does hit the spot” — while Raven Sings the Blues goes further, calling it “one of 2026’s most surprising gems” and “one to beat among the many highlights of 2026.” After nine years, that’s a return worth making noise about. Certified great.