Strange Changes/Vibe & Direct

Self-described eight-headed freak Strange Changes is a beast of band. Laced with the types of visions expounded on by composers like Frank Zappa and Mike Patton, the Boston-based band dives deep. Headed by Cleveland native Tom Dowd, Strange Changes meanders through creepy forests and across unchartered lands in search of sick, sick, demented sounds. Take “Dinosaur Gravy,” the opening track on their debut, 2012’s I Want You. It’s a brass-driven, theatrical bastard of a number. Dowd pulls aside tattered curtains in hopes of showcasing the twisted realities that lay within and without all of us. “Salvation in the Dirt” also highlights the band’s penchant for atmospherics and dynamics. It’s gonna be a wild time. (Eric Sandy)