words written, whispered,
spoken, or screamed about
the sheep!

"[And the clamor was benign] contains six instrumentals, all minor-key waltzes, with a variety of exotic instruments— glockenspiels, viola, banjo, accordion. Kupstas's guitar makes only a brief appearance, and this is a decidedly non-rock affair. It's quiet, dark and gorgeous."
review of and the clamor was benign by Casey Westerman, Ithaca Times

"The Sheep (as their fans refer to them) have an arty indie sound that's awash in worthy influences—Pavement, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Cat Power are some of the more recognizable ones—and it may have been inevitable that this former Ithaca band would leave for the hipster pastures of Brooklyn and Queens."
Casey Westerman, Ithaca Times

"The band entrances its audience with shimmering, wild solos and Ben's intimate, humorous lyrics. Their music seems to reference everything from the elegant epics of Sigur Rós to the orchestral folk of Neutral Milk Hotel ... This Sheep also bring a theatricality and entertainment value not traditionally associated with indie-rock, including elaborate props and modulated lighting."
Cornell Daily Sun feature

"... A sound that sits somewhere between the meditative hum of a starry summer night and a swirling crescendo of string instruments and cosmic debris ... like if Tortoise and Tom Waits had a love child ..."
Gavin Kroeber, Idiot Machine

# 6 on the Ithaca Journal's 10 Best Shows of 2004:
"...ex-Ithacans/current Brooklynites This Sheep Those Sheep showcased their intriguing music."

"This Sheep Those Sheep trek backwards to a heady age of innocence. It's the soundtrack to an era when children trampled across killing fields in search of cauliflower and compunction, when entire automobile factories held banquets for faeries, and when you could pay thirty wooden cents to take the ferry to a country I'm not allowed to talk about. In these days of turmoil, nothing stands out like The Sheep's glowing, mournful melodies, as bewitching and dizzying as a cloud diorama over your bed. They are the sound of little marching stars suddenly growing out of the night sky and falling into your forehead. You go home with a dislocated heart, a boutonniere pinned to your eye, and enough electronic memories to feed the kids for a week."
Alex Linhardt, Pitchforkmedia.com

"This Sheep Those Sheep are anything but members of a flock. From synth blips to wailing guitar, their innovative sound texture places them in the sublime pasture of experimentation. Taking influence equally from Neutral Milk Hotel, Magnetic Fields, and Cher, This Sheep Those Sheep members Ben Kupstas, Nate Brown, Thea Brown, and Nick James play a novel, edgy, and endearing indie blend well worth a chorus of bah bah bahs."
Andrew Gilman, Cornell Daily Sun

"i'm not sure if i can compare these guys to anything...or if i should even try. here's the thing...this music is really relaxing...however...there is something oddly catchy about it. there is a very unique tone that lies within this music that i can't put my finger on..."
Robert Henry Smith IV, talkingrobots.blogspot.com

"...Sure, I complain about certain bands giving in to big labels. Yes, I cringe when I hear Decemberists playing at Starbucks. And you’d better believe I’m still annoyed at the girl I saw this summer wearing a This Sheep Those Sheep shirt because “It looked cute” but had no idea who they were.
Kevin @ nighvulnerable.com

From the Ithaca Times (Vol. XXVI  No. 37 / May 19, 2004):

[we are apparently now officially "post-rock" -- it's in print. We've been trying to figure out what "post-rock" means and how we should deal with it, so... if you have any good interpretations, let us know.]

Fluffy, Innocent, and Eaten by Wolves
Cornell Daily Sun, April 15th, 2004
[This article is really funny. They got my name wrong, and a bunch of Ben's lyrics wrong... and I just generally couldn't make any sense of it. I think most of it was made up. - Nick]