Album Review: O'Brother - 'Basement Window'

4 November 2012 | 9:13 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Trippy post-rock influenced music with hints of industrial.

O'Brother take the listener a little bit by surprise. Hearing post-hardcore and post-rock labels applied to the band alternately confuses, but in many equal ways, it isn't too far off what one would initially expect either. 

The EP begins on a track called 'Lo', which calls to mind a more downbeat version of Brand New's material around the time of 'The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me', with traces of post-metal influence. The band cites Isis as one of their influences, and upon a first-up play, the discernible listener can definitely hear that.

Following track 'Machines Part 1' is a very downbeat offering, almost with an anti-folk feel to it. Lots of creative use of controlled feedback. It's nothing you haven't heard before, but to O'Brother's credit, it's done well.

'Lay Down' continues that anti-folk feel, but with more vocal emphasis. Probably the most laidback track on the EP... and great for post-rock kids to space out to.

Fourth track 'Malum' has a dark-ambient feel that comes off similarly to Bohren and Der Club of Gore, but without the syncopation. Similar to predecessor track, this is the ideal aural platfrom to relax and unwind.

'Poison' is a dirgey number with a pronounced industrial influence. It's more aggressive than the rest of the album, and definitely a high point.

While O'Brother is perhaps not the most commercial, or even most enjoyable band out there, they have their place in a record collection. They're more likely to be the band that your stoner mate reiterates the merits of time and time again. But, for a certain mood, and a certain time and place, they've got a pretty good product here.

1. Lo
2. Machines, Pt. 1
3. Lay Down
4. Malum
5. Poison!