One of our favorite Canadian acts are back at it with a new EP, Burnout. The foursome has added a little psychedelia/freak folk to their alt-country 70’s sound. That is never more evident than on “Speedwagon,” a tune that slowly builds with some shapeless fiddle and lazy guitar picking. Mark Browning’s weary voice works wonders with Ryan Bishop’s earnest harmonies as the band arrives at the big finish with lyrics about the 8-Track stereo blasting Kiss and REO Speedwagon.
And while Ox might have added a couple of new flourishes to the mix, the main formula is the same. What I’ve always loved about Ox is that their songs are more like character studies, spinning tales about people slipping through the cracks of life. “Prom Queen” and “Ojibway Diner” are both fantastic tunes that really seep into your being after a few listens.
As far as I can tell, the reason that Burnout is an EP as opposed to an LP is that these songs were recorded back on the West Coast of Canada where they did American Lo-Fi and Dust Bowl Revival. They have since relocated to Sudbury for what hopefully be a forthcoming LP in 2010. Until then, enjoy this fine EP.
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