Little Bit Of Death 'Round The Eyes

On the recommendation of a pal, I went to go check out a five piece mutant country/bluegrass/punk group called O' Death last night. Of their forty minute perfomance, I can only say good things and perhaps illuminate what exactly what went down with this quick story.

Before the gig, their drummer explained over a Heineken that they were doing "some Pixies shit with country music". Sounded like beer talk to me, but after a few songs, I got what he was on about. Their songs are busting and combusing with some much energy, nearly every arrangement carries the ummmf of a chorus. That part isn't too Pixie-ish, but damn it's amazing to watch. But when the band break into a fast one/two/one/two gallop, they do have a bit of that frantic "Crackity Jones" feel about them.

The real shit kicker occurs when all five members (drums, acoustic guitar, banjo, electric bass and fiddle) start screaming into thin air without mics and the whole thing goes way back to dusty barns and open fields. Unlike most folks who try to pull off the rustic/punk thing, O'death don't do any musical slumming. Live, they're not about bringing it back to Appalachia. They'd rather turn up and scream and stomp and let you get lost in the racket, just like real folks used to do.

The group has booked an ambitious 40 date US tour, so peep their MySpace page for detizzles. Feel free to check the tunes too, but trust they don't do the live show justice. If you are in NYC, you can see what I mean when they return in late September.