OSEES with Brigid Dawson (US)

Osees (formerly “Oh Sees”) is a band from San Francisco, California, USA. The band originally began as John Dwyer’s project to release his instrumental, experimental home recordings, and over the course of several albums, it evolved into a full-fledged band. The band became known for its prolific discography, energetic live performances, and playful visual style that blends cartoon elements with horror motifs. The band has changed its name several times; they have also performed under the names Orinoka Crash Suite, OCS, Orange County Sound, The Ohsees, and Thee Oh Sees. Many consider John Dwyer (who has also played in bands such as Coachwhips, Pink & Brown, OCS, Landed, Yikes, Burmese, The Hospitals, Sword & Sandals, Superpit, The Drums, The Trawgs, Zeigenbock Kopf, and Dig That Body Up It’s Alive!) is a member of Thee Oh Sees, and it seems he considers this band his most serious project. Throughout his career, he has experimented with numerous genres, ranging from noise music through death metal and punk all the way to Thee Oh Sees.

Thee Oh Sees’ sound is lo-fi in nature, blending electric and acoustic elements, and is often enriched with heavy reverb; this allows the listener to almost see and hear the room where the recordings were made. This creates a unique atmosphere that fits perfectly with the band’s style, lyrics, and melodies.

Most people focus on the fact that Dwyer is also a member of the band. While this is undoubtedly a significant factor, the other band members also contribute a wealth of valuable elements to the production. The earliest recordings were still Dwyer’s solo works—mostly simple compositions based on a single instrument and vocals, in which the process of the songs’ creation is palpable. These paint an intimate picture of John, but without the later material, this portrait would be incomplete.

Thee Oh Sees does not commit itself to any one specific style.

With the addition of Brigid Dawson, Petey Dammit, and a rotating cast of drummers, the band’s sound has expanded into a rich and complex musical world that no single person could have created on their own. Brigid’s soprano voice lends an almost eerily delicate tone to the lyrics and melodies, while Petey and Mike’s thundering, driving rhythm section—complemented on recent recordings by Lars Finberg (The Intelligence) on drums—rounds out the musical picture. Through their energetic, sweat-drenched concerts and frequent album releases, they have built an ever-growing, dedicated fan base.

The band’s body of work continues to grow, although their releases appear under various names and on different labels.