"They've always been revved-up and eager, but Outside, the band's third full-length, is also earnest and persuasive, a collection of intensely personal, intricately assembled folk songs." - Pitchfork.com
To be honest, I'm not usually into all this new folky nonsense. The wave of chart popularity the genre has recently received, headed up by Mumford & Sons, all seems to take itself just a little too seriously. Maybe I missed something but here was just no room for fun, and then... Well what's the point?
So, when I was reading the PR blurb for O'Death I got to the words "delicate, folk-inspired"... Argh, delicate. Argh, folk inspired. This is going to be awful. But how wrong could I be! O'Death make me love "folk-inspired" - well done them, this was previously considered an impossible task.
On the surface, the music sounds so energetic and upbeat, though they would have every right to be serious for reasons other than self importance. The band have had their fair share of hardships. Their 2009 tour was interrupted when drummer, David Rogers-Berry was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. After ten months of chemotherapy and a shoulder replacement, the band went back into the studio to record their third album, Outside, and returned to the stage with a performance that received excellent reviews.
Their latest track Bugs, which comes from that third album, is so obviously inspired by folk music but it's fun and uplifting and there's never a dull moment. For a band known for combining folk and country with a fast, furious punky style, Bugs is far more laid back, mellow track. Their past albums have been full of aggressive energy and drama, with a harsher vocal line than you might expect from such a genre. As I mentioned, there is an element of country music about them, but it would be a seriously excitable line dance if O'Death took to the stage.
Luring you into a feeling of calm, with their softer than usual vocals and plucking guitars, Bugs picks up it's pace to a ridiculously catchy and thick chorus. Chances are that you're going to find yourself humming it, and have one of those 'damn, what is that song!' moments, whether you love it or hate it.
MySpace is the first place to head to to hear a few sample tracks, as ever. You can listen to their older tracks, and compare the evolution of their sound. Certainly, the new album will be a very interesting listen, even from a new fans point of view.
The single, Bugs, is released May 30th on City Slang Records. O'Death's new album, Outside, is out on June 6th. You can pre-order it from HMV here.
Have a listen to O'Death at their MySpace page, or listen to Bugs on SoundCloud.
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