Alex Knost, the leader of Tomorrows Tulips, sounds so sleepy when he works up the enthusiasm to lay down a vocal that he makes J Mascis seem like a cross between Peter Wolf and David Lee Roth. As a consequence, most of their recordings suggest the band is either stoned, bored, bummed out, or some combination thereof, but on their fourth album, 2018's Harnessed to Flesh, they manage to sound a bit more upbeat and engaged than usual, at least by their fatigued standards. While the group turned up the noise factor on its Indy Rock Royalty Comb EP in 2016, Harnessed to Flesh holds on to the distorted guitars while bringing back the more easygoing lo-fi atmosphere of 2011's Eternally Teenage, and it helps. "A Star" and "Enslaves" make it clear Knost and his bandmates have been studying the third Velvet Underground album very closely, though his lyrics don't have the perceptive humanity of Lou Reed in his more humane moments, and the soothing acoustic flow of "Never Ending Reality" is an oasis of calm in a vast plain of vague petulance. For the most part, the lyrics seem to reflect the lethargic tone of Knost's vocals, but the guitar work, simple but determined, gives the minimalist melodies a sense of purpose, and the layers of feedback and assorted aural grime (along with a warm bed of tape hiss on several tracks) add a welcome degree of texture and support to these minimalistic tunes. Bassist Ford Archbold and drummer Jennifer Agnew aren't asked to do much on these sessions, but their steady, unobtrusive pulse does help keep things moving, and the title cut suggests they would be a solid rhythm section for a band that was interested in playing at something like a normal pace and velocity. If you're looking for spectral garage rock for drifting away at 3 a.m., Tomorrows Tulips may be just what you've been needing, and Harnessed to Flesh is an effective and thoughtful exercise in the art of fighting to stay awake. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

1		Anywhere
2		Certain Frantic Quality
3		Free Sex/Slow Assistance
4		Turn It Down
5		Overnight Obsession
6		A Star
7		Worn Issue Ltd
8		LLL
9		Never Ending Reality
10		Flaccid Guitars
11		Master Presence
12		Enslaves
13		Kimchi Baby
14		Harnessed to Flesh