by B. Snapp (@snappstare.bsky.social)
Bill Orcutt (guitar), Steve Shelley (drums), and Ethan Miller (bass) aren’t just a trio — they’re a hot-wired collision forged to experiment and break through any boundaries of form and norms. To see them live is invigorating and near detonating to unprotected ears. Their self-titled live debut, released on Miller’s Silver Current Records, is a surprise for listeners expecting pure, unhinged improvisation; the trio, however, proves they can follow a dizzying, composed instrumental script. Comprised of five tightly tensioned tracks, this collection cements Orcutt Shelley Miller as architects of sonic interplay and metallic amalgamation. No lyrics necessary — this is avant-rock musical storytelling from three living legends (with the beards to prove it).
Captured live at L.A.'s Zebulon, a known destination for experimental rock, the band’s performance harnesses the energy of the room that night in April 2024.* John Dwyer was the guest DJ for the night, and Earth Jerks opened with a heavy dose of ambient electronica. When it comes to OSM’s set on this album, this isn't just a recording; it's an aural document of natural fission. Eruptions from the crowd punctuate waning rhythmic riffs as they dissipate to silence, and there’s a sense of those in attendance being awestruck. This is the core charm of the live recording: being vicariously transported to the hypnotic state the songs instill. The album’s packaging, like other Silver Current releases, nods to Trademark of Quality (TMOQ) bootlegs in the 1970s and hints at the archival significance of this performance, the first time an audience witnessed the threesome’s trance-like fusion. There’s even an introduction to the band members after the blast of applause at the end of the show.
The musicians fuse a collective identity without sacrificing their individual signature sounds. Orcutt's tele drips of skronky sonic abrasion, drenched in high-gain distortion. Shelley does more than keep time—he sculpts the rhythm, building the structure with sticks or mallets, hammering or accentuating always with feel and texture. Miller's bass playing alternates between being locked into Shelley's drum drive and freely dialoguing with Orcutt’s sound, utilizing the entire fretboard of his Hofner semi-hollow bass, bouncing from a high-note frenzied strum back into a driving low-end groove. The resulting "out there" sound effectively blurs the lines between composition and improvisation, driven by the trio's laser focus on staying in the moment, which maximizes the energy of the live take.
Examining the song titles suggests an expressionistic series of events, from California to New York, with perhaps a spin through Motor City: A Star Is Born, An L.A. Funeral, Four-door Charger, Unsafe At Any Speed, A Long Island Wedding. The five songs come in at about 30 minutes — a tight duration that includes the time for applause and sounds of the room that adorn the tracks.
OCM is a three-way conversation, yet Orcutt is the central sonic storyteller, switching effortlessly from strumming to soloing to sustaining noise and reverb. While he starts off three of the tracks with the guitar, two songs instead start with Miller’s bass, setting the mood and the groove. Shelley's drumming perfectly complements both of them, alternating between an immediate full tempo drop-in and other times bringing in a gradual, intentional build-up. It’s this exhilarating, dynamic windup and unwinding of three distinct voices that manifests each instrumental frenzy into a singular statement, proving this trio is operating at a profound, locked-in level, making this album a repeatedly compelling listen. Listening to Orcutt Shelley Miller, any sense of time is somewhat shattered. The songs just simply “are” — transcendentally loose in form and wielding a timeless punch.
* The label’s Bandcamp page and fans’ YouTube videos confirm the date of the show was April 13, 2024… while the liner notes have it handwritten as April 13, 2025, obviously an error.