New York City seems an odd place to birth a bluegrass band, albeit an unconventional bluegrass band. The requisite fiddle, banjo, and foot-stomping bass are present, at any rate. Describing O’Death’s sound goes something like this: imagine Alec Ounsworth taking over lead singing duties for Man Man and the whole lot of them moving to the Ozark Mountains. Throw in some gothic undertones and a touch of cabaret for good measure, and there you have it. Head Home was originally released by the band in 2006 and is seeing this year’s re-release after the band was picked up by the Ernest Jennings Record Company (USA). O’Death immediately launches an assault on your sense of what is conventional in music with opening tracks Down To Rest and Adelita. The attack continues with Allie Mae Reynolds, O Lee O, and Busted Old Church, none of which would have been completely out of place on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. The band reins in the romping with the stripped-back Travelin’ Man and slower paced Only Daughter. The remainder of the album is a mixed bag of styles and tempos, including album highlight Nathaniel, a slow drawling number that swells into an all out swing by the conclusion of the track. Head Home wraps up nicely with a comparatively mellow, glass-clinking, chain-rattling Gas Can Row.

Clocking in at just under 45 minutes, the album isn’t necessarily lengthy, but 15 tracks is a bit daunting. O’Death would have served themselves well to omit a few superfluous tracks: The Crab Apple Switch, Face Mask , and Rickety Fence Teeth, as they don’t inherently contribute to the album. It’s a minor beef though, considering Head Home is the most innovative album I’ve heard in some time. That is, I suppose, if you can call Appalachian-drenched music innovative…

Perhaps it’s my penchant for “yelp-i-ness” (i.e. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Rock Plaza Central) that’s to blame for my immediate taking to this band. It can be an acquired taste, to be sure, but you have to give O’Death credit for creating a unique sound in this day and age where such a thing is damn near impossible. The word on the (blog) street is that these guys put on a stellar live show; until they come to Denver, I guess the goth-grass of Head Home will just have to do.
78%

Links
O’Death [official site] [myspace]