I’m spent. There’s nothing more I can say about the Canadian band OX. They have a new record coming out on Weewerk in Canada on Oct 17. Check out what I’ve written before (here, here – links still work, here) as well as this post two weeks ago by I (Heart) Music (an amazing Canadian music site that I just added to the sidebar).
“Sugar Cane” encapsulates all that is great about Ox. Primarily the looseness of the way they play/record, the beautiful analog sound (complete with just enough reverb) and Mark Browning’s plaintive voice and amazing lyrics that get at the heart of americana better than any other band. “El Camino (Pt 2)” is a reworking (but a new song) of some of the themes and imagery from their song “El Camino (Pt 1)” that was originally featured on a split cd as part of Endearing’s International Pop Exchange series. The new one, American Lo Fi, is still one week from release but it is available here now. You won’t find a better ragged, alt-country, west-coast, Gram Parsons thing anywhere else on the web.
Bonus back catalog (highly recommended)
Plus Ox live in Vancouver doing “Take It On The Run”
Their new record is a quiet phenomenon. Unbelievably good band.