Life Till Bones
Success is a funny thing. What it means, for the person succeeding and for those viewing the success, is shifting sands. Last week, a friend of mine put out their 5th album under the moniker Oso Oso. And the record is fantastic.
Over the course of a decade, Jade has been releasing some of the best emo/indie rock in the world. Oso Oso are critically acclaimed (including Life Till Bones12) and have built an impressive fanbase globally. They are influential. Even r/emo loves them3.
I first met Jade on tour for State Line’s For The Boats. Over the decade plus, I’ve seen him grow as a songwriter and a person. I’ve gotten to know so many of his friends and some of his family. As with so many other friends who’ve found success in the arts, I’ve found a lot of assumptions about the realities of art as an industry shattered in tragic ways.
A lot of people are going to write about this as a foil or a response to Sore Thumb and the tragedy surrounding that record. How could you not? A loss that monumental to anyone who knew Tavish is sure to reverberate for a long time. Tav was a kid whose personality was so bright and infectious it was blinding. His loss was painful, not just because of who he was but because of who he was becoming.
Stories about loss in rock and roll were mythological for me in a lot of ways. Seeing Jade on that first tour after was a sobering reality. Beyond the shock of loss. Beyond the sadness. This was life for a friend after loss.
And this album is another turn of the wheel, another step forward in life moving on. For a lot of people, the loss of a friend and a brother will be a chapter in a story of a band. I know that because for a long time it would have been that for me.
All of this preamble to lead into a review of a record. Some of you may be aware that I had dreams of being a journalist when I was a younger person. I worked at newspapers, briefly, and still have friends who stuck it out to great success. Journalism education is a barrage of ethics and impartiality. The facts. The truth.
The truth here is, it is impossible for me to look at an Oso Oso record without bias. I’ve got no qualms being critical with friends. The good and the bad, as long as it is the truth. Art criticism is also inherently subjective. How something makes you feel is personal. And what every Oso album brings is a measure of pride for my friend. Seeing him get that recognition is amazing and well deserved.
Oso is consistent. Jade is one of the best active songwriters in the realm of indie rock. He still believes in the idea of an album being a cohesive story. Life Till Bones is no exception. I think Yunahon Mixtape is still the peak of his creative output, but this is an album that captures a lot of the same magic.
In the way that Yunahon mined the best veins of the Beach Boys, Life Till Bones takes a turn toward the other 60s Wall of Sound virtuosos. Introspective, creative pop hooks and an experimentation that was a hallmark of the Beatles, this is a record that ties the past with creative growth.
The artist that exists today is far removed from the scrappy emo-punk leanings of State Lines, but that DNA still exists in the songwriting. Life Till Bones feels like the fulfillment of a promise issued by the previous record Sore Thumb. Much in the same way that Yunahon perfected the sound of Real Stories…
That sound was more aligned with my personal tastes, but I can say without hyperbole that Jade has never put out a bad record in over 15 years. A run that will land him in whatever DIY hall of fame exists, the word of mouth legends that are the backbone of this music scene.
The story this record tells is broader. I made a joke about a lot of gun references on this record. Jade’s response was that it was a statement on how little control we actually have over our own life and choices. That everything is both fleeting and permanent.
Life Till Bones is a little darker than Basking in the Glow, despite the songs carrying a little more punch than the last couple of records. “The Country Club” reminds us out of the gate that Jade feels he has a lot of things to apologize for.
Success doesn’t come without a cost. “All of My Love” feels like a statement to the ever growing fanbase.
“I'm not trying to say that a moment can't survive, but I can't give you all of my love. All of my life.”
“All of my Love” by Oso Oso
Standout tracks like “Seesaw” have already gotten a lot of attention for the subject matter, rightfully so. Early single “That’s What Time Does,” is a personal favorite. It’s the best blending of Jade’s emo roots, pulling from the breadth of Oso’s catalog while making a new standout track.
“Application” is a second half highlight, calling to mind some of Blake Schwarzenbach’s best Jets to Brazil work. “Stoke” will excite fans of tracks like “Dig” from Basking in the Glow.
Billy Mannino has worked with Jade on almost every Oso release (and toured with them quite a few times). His growth as a producer is evident here as well. He does a great job at making the bass throb under all the songs. Gives space for the guitar to dance on songs like “Skippy.”
The only song that doesn’t stick with me, at least out of the gate, is “Other People’s Stories.” The album closer feels myopic. Insular. Maybe it is just a narrowing of the gaze from the wide net cast earlier and it will grow on me. The best songwriters hook you in and then worm their way into your brain.
For an artist to both pay homage to their own past while building toward their own future is a daunting task. I suspect this will be another success, with all that it carries. I also can’t wait to hear more of these tracks live.