Search - O! The Joy :: Zen Mode

Sacramento's rock scene has long been a source for amazing bands. O! the Joy is the next big thing to come from this city of indie rock angels. This atypical band, born from the ashes of Mister Metaphor (former project of Justin Goings, O! the Joy's drummer), succeeds in creating a perfect harmony between a wide range of genres, from kraut-rock to emo. Zen Mode is their impetuous first album, the kind of record that you will keep in your CD player for years. O! The Joy represents a remarkable crossover of styles, which makes their sound hard to label. Perhaps calling them an experimental pop band, although simplistic, would do. Vocalist Kurt Travis s singings are moving. He possesses a punchy and sensitive voice that plays a key role in the expanse of the music, just above the instrumentation. He is the gateway to the richness of the compositions. Guitarist Jason Ellis plays the most experimental role in the band, assisted by Justin Goings on methodic and polyrhythmic drums and cymbals. Both Goings and Ellis play constantly to create complex structures, putting adventurous ideas on the table in unexpected directions. O! the Joy recorded Zen Mode at Tiny Telephone (San Francisco). The fine sound engineering by Aaron Prellwitz raises each band member's musicianship to the highest level. The band brings to mind post-rock bands like Do Make Say Think, math rock outfits like Hella, or even prog rock, like Amon Düül. But O! the Joy are definitely too ingenious to get stuck on a genre. They bring indie rock further than it has ever been. We compare this tricky record to Russian nesting dolls: when you've come to the end of an idea, there is always another one, hidden.