Old Soul fall into that genre that The Civil Wars made famous in 2011, the category of country-jazz-pop that toes the line of pop, but still maintains musically integrity. Read: unlike pop, it doesn’t suck, it just contains the same likeability and sugary-sweetness that many pop acts rely on solely. True to their name, however, the debut self-titled album includes old world intricacies and soulfully styled vocals that sound as though they were carried in by the wind from another time.
The hushed, luscious voice of lead singer Mike O’Hehir is wonderfully complemented by bright female harmonies of Danielle Savage on most tracks. Those two, along with Brendan Shea make up the core of the band. This record contains a great deal of diversity; the jazzy “Bottle of Secrets” is the song that sounds most like The Civil Wars, driven by a banjo infused off beat and sultry phrasing. On the other hand, “Seven Suns” manages to get a bit psychedelic during a long instrumental break, nicely balancing out the record.
“Home” is perhaps the slowest track on the album, positing the endearing statement “We are of the earth/ We are of the sky/ Home is where I’m from”. As a native born Oregonian, I am guaranteed to love any lyrics that get this hippie and tree-hugging; having said that, though, the sentiment is pretty great.
Don’t be deterred by the sweet sounding voice or easy, quiet guitar of this record, the album slowly opens like a flower in the sun. The heart of this record might be found smack dab in the middle on track five “Thick As Thieves”, reedy, mesmerizing horns and clarinet run through the song, bringing it to a whole new level.
Certainly check out this album if you’ve ever liked hushed duets, bouquets of brass instrumental licks, or easy-listening guitar music. However, even if you somehow don’t enjoy those things, give the record another listen, there are layers here waiting to be discovered. Also, if you fall into either category, go out and support the band at Arlene’s Grocery on Februrary 15th in New York City.
