Austin Sound Check

Haunting Oboe Music | Prolific is an Understatement

by Ana Wolken on August 27th, 2008

I’ve actually had my copies of the Haunting Oboe Music EPs for a while now, but have been pondering what exactly I’d write about this massive body of work. When a band drops six EPs in your lap (the total has since grown to seven), the task of writing about them all at once has proven to be daunting. Although I’d imagine that’s similar to what Haunting Oboe Music felt when they announced their ambitious plan to release one EP per month for the entirety of 2008.

The quality of musicianship is very high on these EPs. HOM is exploring the edges of the indie rock genre in all the ways an experimental band should. What is most notable about HOM, however, is the pure size and complexity of this EP-a-month undertaking. Most indie bands have a hard time focusing long enough to put out one full length album. By putting out an EP each month, HOM is flexing their writing muscles as well as demonstrating their innate ability to produce. Like the title says, calling the band prolific is a severe understatement and under simplification of HOM’s mission.

Oh, and did I mention that the music itself is also first-rate? I highly recommend the following tracks:

Mano The Soldier Boy (January EP, covered by Prayer for Animals on July EP)
Girl Problems (February EP)
Rulers Break - Loud Silence (February EP)
Organ of Fire (March EP)
The General (April EP)
Ghost (May EP)
This Game Is On (June EP)

For More Information: Haunting Oboe Music // MySpace

Haunting Oboe Music is playing Emo’s tomorrow night 8/28, with Prayer for Animals. Visit Emo’s for more info.

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POSTED IN: Album Reviews, Austin Locals