Owsley
2/06/00, The Yucatan, Santa Barbara

Owsley Owsley
Giant Records, 1999

This show was a total surprise. We basically had nothing to do one Sunday night, and GC kept hearing about this band that was playing at the Yucatan that was supposed to be really good. We almost didn't go, but Wow, I'm so glad we did!! Even though I never had heard of Owsley and only recognized one song ("I'm Alright"), I fell in love immediately with this unassuming yet awesome band from Anniston, Alabama.

Musically they are very much like The Beatles and bands such as Jellyfish, XTC and Ben Folds Five, but this lame description doesn't even come close to describing how infectious and entertaining this band is... one of my first CD purchases of 2000! Their songs are immediately likable and feel very familiar. You almost want to say, "Hey, I know this song," after the first few bars of any given track. But I guess there is a dark side to this-- if you have been a musician for a long time it's a strong possibility that you are going say, "It's really cool music, but nothing I haven't heard before..." Well, you're wrong! The vocals alone are so amazing... often sung in powerful unison, but also lots of great harmonies and counterpoint. And no matter how happy a song seems, almost every track has a gorgeous sort of melancholy side that weaves in and out of the song.
In a time when "alternative" radio has turned into a joke, I'm really happy for the success thus far of Owsley. They absolutely deserve it.