Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter

Item: Oh, My Girl
Author: Mike Leech

Oh, My Girl

(2004)

Reviewed by Mike Leech

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Label Barsuk RecordsDecapolisJuly 2004

alternative country americana folk rock

When I first popped this in, I have to admit I wasn't too impressed. As a result, I let it sit on the shelf for a long while to instead enjoy a few other, more appealing albums. Then one day I was chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool and all, watching a little Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (yah, that's right), when I came across the song "Sleep Walk" by Santo & Johnny being played in that scene where the Angels fight some guys, and the thing blows up, and it's all in slow motion and there's that funny "girl power" moment or whatever.

Anyway, "Sleep Walk" is one of those songs that everybody's heard a million times but never really listened to, if you catch my cookie. Well this time I actually listened. I listened like a madman, and was consequently blown away. I immediately hopped on Soulseek, thieved the track's mp3 equivalent and listened to it about a million more times. Then, when I finally popped the Jesse Sykes CD in again some time later, I was amazed at how good it had gotten since the last time I had heard it. It was like an updated version of the heartbreaking, twangy ballads Santo & Johnny had masterfully dispensed so many decades before, only this time accompanied by Jesse Sykes' distinct and affecting vocals. It was absolutely gorgeous. It just took me a while to actually listen.

Sykes' vocals are the undeniable glue holding Oh, My Girl together. Her voice is raspy but smooth -- aged and unembellished. It's what Cat Power's Chan Marshall might sound like after smoking an entire carton of cigarettes in one sitting. Melodic vocals glide over the loose and scenic arrangements of sprawling, foggy guitar, held up by gentle bass and percussion (with a little banjo and trumpet mixed in here and there). It's difficult to name off song highlights because none of the songs are really that catchy. But this isn't the kind of music that's supposed to get stuck in your head necessarily. On the contrary, it's the kind of music that's good for getting everything out of your head. If you like LN, Low or Neko Case then you're going to love this.

3/4