Ox - Dust-bowl revival
By David McPherson
Release Date: October 13, 2003
Ox is Mark Browning - a Vancouver singer/songwriter that sounds like a young Neil Young with his nasal voice that grabs you with its honesty.
Alt.country sounds are mixed with low-fi Americana and Canadian folk to produce a pleasant and profound listening experience. Musical inspiration comes from the varied roads Browning has traveled and overall Browning ruminates on the Canadian experience in the U.S.
Dust Bowl Revival opens with "Transam" - an eerie, downbeat and ambient acoustic number; it's a poetic journey that reflects on the musician's his West-coast roots. Browning's voice snaps and crackles like a bowl of Rice Krispies.
"L.a. City" continues this journey motif to great effect with the bouncy chorus of, "… bye-bye/ Canadian peach bowl beauty / l.a. city/ here I come …"
"Blue Morning", is a song for the everyman that we all can relate to during those cold, grey morns. Browning sings, " …I'm heading for blue morning and grey skies caught me napping/ the alarm keeps nattering on and I can barely stand the morning."
Harmonies are heartfelt throughout the disc's dozen tracks, especially "Stolen Car", and accomplished musicians like Jesse Zubot back Browning on violin.
Overall, Dust Bowl Revival is a daring debut. The sparse, soulful songs would make the perfect soundtrack for a depression-area John Steinback novel.
Dust Bowl Revival is out now on Scratch Records/Cinnamonsongs.
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