I did know that R. E. M. considered them an influence and I do hear a few jangle arpeggio guitar lines on this album. Did not know Peter Buck played in a band with Hitchcock by then, I must have forgotten that. (I mean, Buck also helped out The Decemberists for what that’s worth.)

It’s been called the beginning of “neo psychedelic,” it does have a neo-60s feel to it, but it’s not very “trippy” at all and it’s still totally late 70s in feel.