White Fence, White Fence (side A)

Tim Presley's 2009 debut as White Fence draws heavily from older lo-fi references.  It reminds me of Brother JT Rainy Day Fun, Bevis Frond Triptych, and Strapping Fieldhands Discus.  White Fence includes a series of short, murky songs—they're woozy and slightly psychedelic, but there's never anything quite as memorably catchy as "Rider Rider", "Lights are Changing", or "Boo Hoo Hoo".  Despite the murk and occasional bursts of hiss in the high end, the mixes are generally well-balanced enough to achieve a surprising amount of clarity.  The strange line drawings and pastel colors on the cover match the music but don't reference the era that it recalls.