O'Death

folk

O'Death are an American Gothic Country band from New York. Borrowing their band name from a traditional American folk song that comes out of Western North Carolina, O’Death draws on traditional folk, bluegrass, punk, gypsy music, metal, swing and jazz stylings. Originally formed in 2003 while the members attended SUNY Purchase, the band played a series of shows at the now defunct Apocalypse Lounge in NYC, and quickly began building a fanbase with their reverently twisted take on Americana filtered through a wealth of musical influences as divergent as Bill Monroe, Prince, Neil Young, The Microphones, and The Misfits. For these shows, O’Death put together a very raw, 10-track CD-R, entitled Carl Nemelka Family Photographs, to sell to concert-goers. As O’Death worked on new material for their second, self-released LP, Head Home, the five-piece perfected their stage show. The band’s nonstop touring caught the attention of the New York-based Ernest Jenning Record Co., who re-released Head Home in June 2007. Later that Summer, UK-based label City Slang released Head Home in Europe. O’Death continued to tour the US and Europe throughout 2007, putting out a limited edition (500 copies) vinyl version of Head Home on Ernest Jenning Record Co./City Slang, followed by a 7” single of two new songs, Low Tide and I Think I'm Fine, as well as a cover of The Pixies’ “Nimrod’s Son” as an internet bonus track. Head Home was nominated for a 2007 Shortlist Prize. On Februa...