Garden Window, the debut full-length album from Georgia’s O’Brother, is almost like a theatrical performance on a disc. The release opens up with noisy guitars and deep, but lo-fi vocals in “Malum.” The following track, “Lo,” features a phrase that was repeated in the first tune mixed with cleaned-up guitar tones, louder drums and a more natural feel to the vocals. The groovier bass in “Sputnik” sets the listener up for a boost of energy that kicks in with the group vocals, reminiscent of people marching. The theatrical and dramatic “Poison!” brings the experimental side of the band out with an overall out-of-this-world sound. Picking up where “Poison!” left off, “Lay Down” is harder and one can feel the rage in Tanner Merritt’s voice.
“Machines Part-I” is uproarious and sends a merciless wave of madness through the release. The second part of the song, “Machines Part-II” starts off with less anger, but explodes into a dark and dramatic breakdown. Despite the dark content, “Bear” is lighter and soothes the listener with a pleasant drum beat, guitars and vocals. The most interesting track on Garden Window is “Cleanse Me.” The changing of the moods is what makes this tune stand out. The larger-than-life ballad incorporates rough vocals mixed with harmonious ones, pulsing drums, fantasy-like guitar riffs and an instrumental section that feels like a warm spring day which ends in a thunderstorm of guitars, drums, bass and screams. The final cut, “Last Breath” incorporates airy guitars, thought-provoking lyrics and whimsical harmonies to leave the listener as satisfied as possible.
In A Word: Dramatic
