New York, NY
RIYL: The Pogues, Firewater, Gogol Bordello and The Dresden Dolls
"O'Death... draws from the starkness and spiritual purity of Appalachian folk, the noisemongering of punk and the rowdy theatricality of Tom Waits. With quiet pluckings of banjo and angry, anarchic hollers, its songs jumble the sacred and profane." - The New York Times
"O'Death... brings to mind the Pogues jamming with Wall of Voodoo." - All Music Guide
"O'Death howls like Neil Young and hollers like Tom Waits" - Spin
"Picture Tom Waits and Iggy Pop together in a musical touring edition of Deliverance and you might come close to figuring out what I'm talking about." - Treblezine
"There are plenty of folk and country-tinged bands floating around America these days, but few are able to take Americana and evolve it toward something interesting or unique, something that begs to be heard, something catchy enough to dance (or stumble) to." - Portland Mercury News
"...if your idea of a good time is a crowd of folks moshing to the sound of banjo feedback and Savage Republic drumming, then live O'Death is your cup of moonshine." - Village Voice
Omaha, NE
RIYL: Azure Ray, Portishead, and Galaxie 500
O+S (pronounced O plus S) is a new project by Orenda Fink (Azure Ray, Art In Manila) and Cedric LeMoyne aka Scalpelist (Remy Zero). They have created a record that combines the haunting, ethereal music of a David Lynch soundtrack with the cinematic art-pop of 10cc. Look for a March release of O + S's debut album on Saddle Creek Records.
Denver, CO
RIYL: Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters and Bela Fleck
Take a string band and swap out the banjo player for a groovy drummer and you’re well on your way to understanding the sound of Oakhurst. The band spikes traditional bluegrass with rock & roll and a kamikaze rhythmic sensibility. Oakhurst’s unpretentious, go-for-it interpretation of a genre that’s often handled too reverently, sparks interest in bluegrass by folks who don’t know Doc Watson from Doc Holliday.
"Oakhurst.. is a solid piece of tradition-minded bluegrass tempered with just enough of a rock edge to appeal to alt-country and jam band enthusiasts with little patience or knowledge of the real thing." - All Music Guide
"Oakhurst... high-octane roots rock w/ a bluegrass injection" - Relix
Brooklyn, NY
Oakly Hall: dark somewhat rootsy, somewhat pshychedelic...stylistically falling somewhere between Magnolia Electric Company and the Velvet Underground.
"This Brooklyn Western-gothic sextet... (have a) flair both vintage and modern, country and urban, as if Wilco now had John Cale on viola and Lucinda Williams in the lineup." - Rolling Stone
"Oakly Hall... One to file between the excellent Black Mountain and Magnolia Electric Company albums from last year." 4 stars - Uncut
"Don't say alt-country...this band never tries to follow a framework." 8.5/10 - Pitchfork Media
"Oakley Hall may be one of Brooklyn's best kept secrets." - Other Music
RIYL: Regina Spektor, Feist, The Bird and The Bee and Stereolab.
"Obi Best shares an affection for analog synths and '60s chanteusery with the Bird and the Bee, with whom Lilly tours as a backup singer, and yet the band’s digital release, Capades, brings its Bacharach-isms and girl-groupiness past the sugary homage stage. The album is clever without resorting to irony, smart without a hint of pretension, and swooningly pretty in the least obvious of ways. " 8.5/10 - Prefix
"...Under a sprightly, whimsical layer-cake of pianos, synths, and budget drum-machine skitters, Lilly's work takes on a circus-esque, twirling quality with its animated, bubbly instrumentation and varied lyrical topics, from lovers to gardens, and beyond." - Spin
"Obi Best's first attempt is ten songs of refreshing, keyboard-driven pop, and is largely buoyed by the strength of Lilly's voice. Reminiscent of Feist, her voice is both confident and quirky, which works wonderfully when paired with the punchy lyrics." - NPR
"Obi Best... (are) just a fantastic band that will remind you of all the things you love about Swede pop, 60's grooves, and Minty Fresh records." - LA Underground
"Alex Lilly, an LA-based song stylist and keyboardist best known as a singer for indie pop band The Bird and the Bee, mashes up Burt Bacharach with Serge Gainsbourg, churning out an improbable mixture of sonic bliss and real melodic sense on Capades, Obi Best’s first release. " - Blogcritics
STL, MO
Local Band!
Albuquerque, NM
"Instead of instantly catchy feelgood pop, (Of God And Science) write unpredictable mature guitar pop that is difficult to describe and difficult to compare to other bands. The subtle beauty of the band's melodies will surely grow on you over time. Excellent dreamy vocals merge with articulately crafted guitars to create a rather intoxicating sound indeed." 5/5 - Baby Sue
Tempe, AZ
RIYL: Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, My Morning Jacket and Ray LaMontagne
Of the Painted Choir is the musical project of Frederick Huang. It borders between Folk, Country, and Indie Rock. The songs are heavily influenced by his experiences in Arizona and draw inspiration from the musical culture of Arizona, the southwest and 60's popular music.
Chicago, IL
RIYL: Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, Suicide, Fishbone and Pere Ubu
This eclectic, guitarless Chicago-based art-rock trio is incredibly diverse stylistically and has drawn comparisons to all kinds of bands. Regardless of who you compare them to... they are AWESOME live!
"Oh My God. is hardly a stale indie alternative... they take a step forward from the norm, producing wildly discriminating rock 'n' roll with unmatched intensity." - MTV.com
"Oh My God's dynamic prog-pop crams ideas into each song like a deliciously eclectic pick 'n' mix... an irresistible cocktail of crunchy, swirling keyboards and jackhammer drums... a monumental feast of pile-driving hooks." - Kerrang
"Oh My God... (a) rock-hard, hyper-kinetic power trio... a sound that has been favorably compared to everyone from ELP, Weezer and Devo to the Cars, Deep Purple and Steppenwolf... a range that encompasses the space between flat-out rock and the subtler and more emotion-laden moments of great pop... and, oh my god, the thing is good." - Cincinnati City Beat
"Not your parents' art rock... soulful vocals set against an experimental backdrop of organ and drums." - Alternative Press
"God (would admire) the band's musical diversity, which includes everything from melodic, radio-friendly rock songs to robotic electro seethings... And Satan would admire OMG's hedonistic, possessed live shows..." - Phoenix New Times
Toronto, Canada
Toronto alt.country goddess, Oh Susanna, has drawn comparisons to Patty Griffin, Gillian Welch and Uncle Tupelo....
"Oh Susanna is the stage name of singer/songwriter Suzie Ungerleider, a Canadian alt-country performer with a taste for stark, haunting balladry that's earned her comparisons to the likes of Gillian Welch... " 4 stars - All Music Guide
"If you're seeking a sound that harkens back to the good part of the 1970s, check out Oh Susanna's self-titled third album. Canadian singer/songwriter Suzie Ungerleider (AKA Oh Susanna) leads a full band through a dozen songs of rock 'n roll, honky-tonk, folk and country, and seductive ballads." - Women Rock.comOh Susanna "sounds like the missing ling between Dolly Parton and Sinead O'Connor..." 4 stars - Mojo
Dallas, TX
RIYL: The Black Keys, Buffalo Killers, Kings of Leon, Dead Weather, The Gutter Twins and The Raconteurs
“Oil Boom embrace of hard, elemental rock tinged with a hint of Americana rust evokes such critically acclaimed acts as the Black Keys." - DFW.com
"Sometimes fate drops palate cleansing morsels of hope when you need them the most. Thank you, Oil Boom. We've needed Black Waxy.” - QuickDFW
“Rare is the debut recording that neatly encapsulates why you should care about a particular band, such as Oil Boom and its six-song maiden voyage, Black Waxy.” - DFW.com
Austin, TX
"Combining folk-rock inspirations and alternative rock sways, Okkervil River creates a particular visionary sound, strongly founded on dark and profound lyrics and on chaotic visions of patterned sound compounds...Down the River of Golden Dreams (2003) is easily the group's most cohesive record to date..." 4 stars - All Music Guide
"Singer-songwriter Will Sheff of the haunted-country quartet Okkervil River is ready for worldwide renown... In a crowded field of young spectral-country bands, Okkervil River pine and crawl with enriched instrumentation...like Pavement bursting through the middle of REM's 'Country Feedback'." - Rolling Stone
"Singing with both the raw-throated urgency of Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and the melancholic intimacy of Will Oldham, Sheff's (lyrics represent)...Quality song-writing and storytelling...bittersweet poignancy." - Mojo
"Okkervil River has that sort of mythical genius." 8th Best album of 2003." - Magnet
"Sheff...sings the intricate stories of forlorn war criminals and unrepentant adulterers with a novelist's aplomb, and takes the old-fashioned love song to epic proportions." - CMJ
"A great storyteller with rhyme schemes that would impress Eminem, frontman Will Sheff comes on like Conor Oberst with a tighter grip on the reins." - Entertainment Weekly
"Frontman Will Sheff's delicate voice and literary allusions...make this disc a gem." 5/5 - Alternative Press
Okkervil River's "songs actually read like microbursts of serious literary energy, and hearing them unlocks poetry hidden on the page...The ornate acoustic backgrounds...are so sweepingly atmospheric that they balance singer Will Sheff, who howls like the Old 97's Rhett Miller at his most unhinged." - Blender
Okkervil River: "alt-country or indie rock or avant-folk or some such crossbred super-genre" 7.7/10 - Pitcfork Media
Albuquerque, NM
Oktober People: "cunning use of dynamic swells and shifts that underscore the already roiling passion and intensity inherent in the songwriting. Absolute fucking genius!" - Alibi
"a rollicking but moody whisper of a record that most closely appropriates early Modest Mouse recordings. Guided by a stoic but driving bass guitar that all other instruments seem to cling tight to, the record sways from quiet solitude to hailstorm intense in undetectable fluidity." - The Daily Lobo (Albuquerque)
Dallas, TX
RIYL: Wilco, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, Drive-By Truckers and Camper Van Beethoven
The Old 97s return with two explosive new albums that capture the sound their fans treasure while excitingly veering their songwriting and production into new areas. The result is the aurally thrilling The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1, released last year, and The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2, scheduled to drop in May 2011.
"Seventeen years and eight albums into their career; The Grand Theatre Volume One is a welcomed second wind." 4/5 - Alternative Press
"Of all the great bands that came out of the 1990s alt-country boom, the Old 97's were the one that seemed least bound to what became the conventions of the genre... The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1 is where the Old 97's get their old mojo back... calling it their best album since Fight Songs is just about right." 4 stars - All Music Guide
"On their eight studio album, beloved Texas rock ’n’ rollers the Old 97’s continue to produce some really great music... the best sounding Old 97’s record in quite some time." - Pop Matters
"Despite frontman Rhett Miller's nice-guy tendencies, Old 97’s are way more fun when he gives in to his bitchy side - which is large and in charge on The Grand Theatre, runaway-train backbeats and all." 7/10 - Spin
"When Old 97's are on - which they are most of the time on their eighth studio album - they're very, very on. Rhett Miller's writing is the definition of neatly sculpted songcraft, with every piece firmly in place, and not a bit of fat." - The Boston Phoenix
"Old 97’s are aging gracefully, and thankfully not in that Elvis Costello-fedora-and-jazz-standards kind of way... The Grand Theatre reveals the band’s talent for crafting darker, moodier melodies. Frontman Rhett Miller is trading his sexy outlaw shtick for a creepy-old-man one, and it’s the best he’s ever sounded." 78/100 - Coke Machine Glow
"More than 15 years in, the Old 97's haven't lost a step." - The Austin Chronicle
Vandalia, IL
Genre: Country, Rock & Roll, Soul, Blues
Local Band!
RIYL: Delta Spirit, Deer Tick, Elvis Perkins, Cold War Kids and White Rabbits
Local Band!
"Old Lights... is the brainchild of David Beeman, who's been playing around town with several bands in recent years... well-constructed, heartfelt indie rock indebted to Okkervil River, early Rilo Kiley and the Smiths. When - and it's not an if - the big fancy music blogs elsewhere discover Old Lights, St. Louisians can be proud to say the band is from here." - Riverfront Times
Old Man is a new Tucson act. How do they sound... well, they may best be described as expiramental indie w/ a punk attitude... for fans of Sleater-Kinney, Numbers, Errase Errata, and Bikini Kill. These guys are great - check 'em out!
San Diego, CA
RIYL: Elvis Costello, Ben Kweller, Sebadoh, Spoon and The Black Keys
Old Tiger is an 'indie soul' who formed in 2009 and released their first EP, The Definitive Collection on iTunes recently. Citing Otis Redding, The Temptations and Marvin Gaye as heavy influences, the band have forged their own updated sultry version of vintage southern soul and 60's r&b.
"Old Tiger... channel a Stax sound that plays a proper homage to the legendary soul label." - KPBS
Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Oliver Reigns, a gread indie-rock band from San Diego... How do they sound... a bit like Incubus meets 311!
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