OCS - Memory of a Cut Off Head by Castle Face Records published on 2017-08-24T17:49:03Z It is easy to forget (especially amidst the ringing of ears and aching of muscles after your typical Oh Sees show) that initially, OCS was a rather hushed affair. After the minimalistic brutality of Coachwhips, OCS was a diametric opposite corner of John’s musical world, quiet to the point of whispered in the wind, buffeted by the airy whirr of singing saw, soft and strange. Those early records especially had a rather contraband hush about them, as if the party has gone on all night and continues into the morning but everyone’s raspy from talking too much and gradually agrees to whisper and pantomime as they watch the sun come up over the hills. Since then of course, things got gradually louder, faster, crazier...the band evolved since then into the Oh Sees everyone knows. For the 20th Oh Sees release, 100th Castle Face title, and 20th year doing it, John re-examines the quieter roots of it all in particularly baroque and homesteadly fashion. Memory of a Cut Off Head was co-written with longtime collaborator and vocal counterpoint Brigid Dawson, recorded in total in John’s own Stu Stu Studio, and it’s lush, sumptuous in texture, but satifyingly retains the gentle grace of the early stuff. There’s beautifully executed strings throughout, courtesy of Heather Lockie’s fine arrangements, horn arrangements courtesy of Mikal Cronin, and they even brought back the old saw - Patrick Mullins, that is - on saw and electronics. A return and a refinement of old forms, a few solemn meditations on life lived at high velocity, perhaps a respite from it…a softer side of JPD and distinguished company. https://www.castlefacerecords.com/products/ocs-memory-of-a-cut-off-head Genre Folk & Singer-Songwriter Comment by Wes Chiller so good 2018-02-17T01:24:02Z Comment by Los Silver Mornings genial! 2017-11-29T03:32:15Z Comment by @DJGolden_rain featured at http://escafandrista-musical.com/2017/09/memory-of-a-cut-off-head-ocs.html/ 2017-11-14T07:32:29Z Comment by Polysemy bravo guys, this made me cry. found the right spot, and really hit me hard for some reason. thank you. 2017-10-06T08:14:06Z Comment by Thee Ossuary Collection Didn't expect to start getting emotional during this song, but then again it is OCS 2017-09-30T18:33:12Z Comment by vanmeterproductions commune catastrophe 2017-09-11T18:50:26Z Comment by Yung Vegan Kush God GANG SHIT BITCH! THIS SHIT GOOOOO! 2017-09-05T20:06:38Z Comment by meezerpocalypse YAY! 2017-08-31T16:19:47Z Comment by Buck Wilson WE BACK 2017-08-30T23:26:09Z Comment by Chris Lamont Stunning track, so glad to hear Brigitte again!! 2017-08-29T11:10:40Z Comment by d4ywlkr *Alfredo 2017-08-28T18:27:51Z Comment by d4ywlkr The first thing I think of is Bring Me the Head of Alberto Garcia 2017-08-28T18:24:55Z Comment by Maufrais Yessssss!!!!! So happy to hear John and Brigid harmonizing again. 2017-08-28T18:22:33Z Comment by pq ribber This is so refreshing and tasty!! 2017-08-28T17:10:48Z