New York outfit O’Death’s third LP, Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin, feels like a giddy junkyard hoedown, from the panicked fiddle screeches of opener “Lowtide” to the celebratory gallop of closer “Lean-To.” At times it sounds morose or contemplative, but underneath the melancholy is a gospel fervor—bashed from paint buckets, banjos, guitars and anything else in kicking distance—that defines their sound. Since 2007’s buzzed-about Head Home, the quintet, which contains vocalist/guitarist Greg Jamie, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Gabe Darling, fiddle player Bob Pycior, bassist Newman and drummer David Rogers-Berry, has evolved the possessed americana-meets-gypsy-punk of recent years into a more urgent, unrelenting celebration of life, death and everything in between.

For their latest album, the musically diverse Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skins—which O’Death coproduced with Alex Newport (Two Gallants, the Locust)—they’ve recreated their live fervor in the studio. And although it may be the same lineup, the band that plays on Broken Hymns isn’t the same ensemble that formed in 2003 at college. In that time, they’ve evolved. “After Head Home, we only wrote three songs that year,” says Rogers-Berry. “By the end of that year, I was like, I don’t know if I can do this project. This is making me really crazy and sick and I don’t like it. As soon as we started writing new music again, I was like, That’s why we have this band. Playing music is the only thing that matters to me.”

They’ve grown up a little, but haven’t lost the underlying longing or the unruly jubilation in their songs. Jamie’s vocals sound more confident, even when singing lyrics like “I’m gonna leave you when the morning comes” on “Lean-To” or the infectious “hold on” hook on “Fire On Peshtigo,” which is based on a real fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, in 1871. The songs were written over the three years since they recorded Head Home, and each one shows a different side of the band as they toured almost nonstop.

“There are a lot of songs that are about putting things to rest, overcoming hardship and rising above,” Jamie says. “It’s sort of the connective theme.”As a band, they expanded beyond the old-time influences that first inspired them without forsaking them. “I think it’s all going on, on this one,” says Darling. “More of David’s world music, more of Newman’s metal, more of Bob’s grunge.”

Music aside, the album carries a deeper meaning as well. In November 2007, tragedy struck. Rogers-Berry’s fiancé, Eliza Sudol, died of an aneurysm. The group canceled their European tour plans at the time and returned to her family’s side. “I’m glad we can say ‘A Light That Does Not Dim’ is a reflection of the warmth and light she carried in her life,” says Rogers-Berry, “because a lot of the songs are fairly dark.” Jamie adds, “There’s a catharsis in what we’re trying to do musically on this album. We’re all trying to get through things with this music. We’re trying to use music as a means of healing.” Broken Hymns is dedicated in her memory.

Recording the album fostered a deeper bond in the band. Working with veteran producer Newport, the band let their instruments bleed into one another, replicating their live sound. “We’re tired of people saying our records don’t stand up to our live performances,” says Rogers-Berry. “So we tried to bring some of that energy to it.” They turned it into a celebration. “You know those giant, gallon jugs of Jack Daniels,” Newport says. “I now have a graveyard of those things in my studio.”

For “On an Aching Sea,” the producer wanted to replicate Rogers-Berry’s fondness for adding scrap metal to his drum set, so they went on a “reconnaissance mission” around Brooklyn and found everything they could, dumping it all in one of the studio’s rooms with some cymbals. When the drummer exited, there was broken glass everywhere, and one especially mutilated cymbal stand, which Rogers-Berry had snapped in half with a motorcycle chain. “We emphasized the spirit of the song on this album,” says Newport.

In the end, they finally created an album that captured who O’Death is as a band—their dark side and their hopeful nature. From the oompah-pah of “Mountain Shifts” to the gypsy violin of “Home,” it also shows the breadth of their musical command. It’s a whole new band. “It was a hard winter,” says Rogers-Berry, “but this record saved my life.”

Band Members

Greg Jamie - vocals, guitarGabe Darling - backing vocals, ukulele, guitar, banjo, pianoDavd Rogers-Berry - drums, whoopBob Pycior - fiddle, guitar, pianoothar the tooth collector - bassDan Sager - trombone, euphonium, keys

Influences

old songs, gospel, appalachian mountain music, sweet melodies, punk energy, whiskey, Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

Website

www.odeath.net