No thought necessary: John Dowey’s a rock star. And if you’ve glimpsed the Austin trio leader’s mane, you know it’s already gone to his head, from which emanates a classic, old-school whine from the proverbial void. So feigns the title song leading off this brain-splatter red vinyl, its 1970 Birmingham glower instantly familiar until an extreme tempo drop seizes up into minimalist post-punk. That turning point in the opening minutes of debut LP Silent City keeps Think No Think coiled in suspense. Psych come-on “Take a Little for Your Mind” separates church and state – band from bawler – as it amps down into the rhythm method of Nick Bakke and Lee Adams with Dowey etching guitar art. Tribal atmospherics haze up flipside burst “432 Dreams” into a droning mosh verging on Krautrock, but “Start a War” touches off a true Teutonic banger – beating, charging, chugging slap-down. Now note the yowl of “Strange Truth,” which only hints at Dowey’s golden screech. Jack White, eat your heart out.

***.5

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This article appears in August 11 • 2017.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.