Oblio Joes
Let’s Decompose and Enjoy Assembling!
Twisted Knife
There’s this sneaky Montana music scene, and ever so often I find a record from Missoula or Bozeman or Helena, but it’s not like NME or Rolling Stone ever seems to cover that beat. Oblio Joe hails from Missoula, and they list 14 discs in their discography (including a few compilations) of rather down beat folk rock stylings. Songs go through numerous time signature changes, the music is layered and fuzzed, and while not exactly depressing, Oblio doesn’t make me feel better about life or love or the Tax Reform act of 1986. There’s a nice harmony between the lead vocalist, John Brownell, and backing vocalist, Stu Simonson, but I really have trouble enjoying the rather plodding melodies and slowly modulated keyboard work of Ian Smith. I can’t say I’d recommend a special trip to MT for this band, but if they played locally they might be worth a trip to the corner hipster bar.
Oblio Joes: http://www.obliojoes.com
