Dawes is an American folk/rock band that started with two brothers Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith and has now expanded into the Dawes they are today. Their latest album Oh Brother is as expected, a deeply emotional journey and will leave listeners analyzing their work.
The deep bass lines and rhythmic guitar pair together with the waves of Goldsmith’s voice on the first track “Mister Los Angeles” to create a Red Hot Chili Peppers sound. Breaking the fourth wall, singing about being in a Taco Bell commercial and how their agent thought it was a bad idea, this song strips down to a vulnerable state. “I’m Mister Los Angeles the rumors are true / this is where the magic happens.” This song comes together to be a melancholy song about Los Angeles culture.
“Still Strangers Sometimes” is a complex tug-of-war of being right and wrong together all at once. The beating of the drums as the words are almost yelled “We’re still strangers sometimes” enhances the feeling that is being thrown up out of the soul. Leading into the fourth track on the album “Surprise!” the guitar slows and mellow riffs linger in the background. Instrumentally this song carries weight on every note that is being played. Dawes incorporates surprises into the production emphasizing the message of the lyrics.
Tying back into “Mister Los Angeles,” “House Parties” is a piece about being tied up in a life that is not the most fulfilling to the band’s true happiness. Yearning for a simpler lifestyle and not having to be in a place they do not want to be with tourist attractions. Vocal backing on this song sets the scene of being at the places they are describing “House parties and local bands/midnight singalongs / that’s where I belong.”
Slowing things down and getting into a deep vocal and instrumental range “King of the Never Wills” has a smooth relaxing sound that picks up as the story builds. “Those same tired stories at the end of your favorite bar / as if you believe that’s the person you somehow still are / and now you’re part of a story that goes on without you.” Dawes is so deep in this song lyrically, that it is hard to find if there is a true outcome of this struggling story.
With so much hope behind every drum beat “The Game” brings life and hope to Oh Brother. “Losers only think about the winners, the winners only think about the game.” This piece is about knowing what you can accomplish and that you are the only person who can determine your fate. The girl described in this song is highlighted by the way she puts herself first and gives everything she has to become the person she has strived to be. These lyrics show how important it is to love what you do and truly fight to make it happen.
Oh Brother is an explosion of emotions of all kinds that come together in a beautiful way. Every song contributes to the overall story and composition journey.
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