10/13/06 02:56 PM: Review: Oh No! Oh My!, Self-titled

Oh No! Oh My!
Oh No! Oh My!
Self-released, 2006
Grade: B+

Oh No! Oh My! is another one of those bands you want to love. And it’s not hard—considering how well done their debut album is. Falling back again on the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! meme, this self-produced album comes from the minds of two home-schooled songwriters, Greg Barkley and Daniel Hoxmeier. Along with drummer Joel Calvin, the trio has been a band called by a few different names, including the Jolly Rogers. In 2006, though, they morphed into Oh No! Oh My! and quickly became the darling of bloggers everywhere.

So how about the actual music? It’s good. Very good, in fact. Though I will be the first to say this is not a perfect album. The opening track, “Skips the Foreplay” is a bad first track. It’s not the worst song on the album, but it doesn’t quite capture what the rest of the album holds. This simple sounding song about teenage pregnancy seems rather out-of-place and the “oohs and ahhs” just don’t mix well with the song’s lyrical content.

Oh No! Oh My!’s sound is all over the place in their debut, ranging from nearly twee-poppish in “Walk in the Park” to electropop in “I Love You All The Time.” These guys are versatile, and can pull off most of these songs, but it’s hard to say if they all mesh to form a cohesive album.

The standout tracks are by far “I Have No Sister” and “Jane is Fat.” Both of these songs show off a unique sound Oh No! Oh My! has been able to accomplish, probably thanks in part to their band’s multi-genre past. “The Backseat” is another lovely tune off this LP, even if the theme of songs discussing backseats is a bit overdone.

There are some duds on this album, though. “Reeks and Seeks” attempts to make twangy repetition interesting, but comes up very short. “Women are Born in Love” is along the same vain, but includes handclaps. This gives it a few points in my book, but it was a weak ending to an otherwise strong album.

These guys have a lot of potential, and I’m hoping one day they will swing through D.C. on a tour. In the meantime, I suggest picking up this record, it’s one of the better albums of 2006.

tagged: music, review
Dave Stroup  Music