I’ve heard people say that music soothes the savage beast, but those people are usually misquoting William Congreve. Never the less, Oklahoma indie rockers Other Lives have charms to soothe anyone and anything, and they proudly display their gifts with new album, Tamer Animals. This eleven-track album features eerily beautiful songs that are perfect for curling up on the couch and relaxing. Lead vocalist Jessie Tabish’s haunting voice lingers over the music around him – an intriguing blend of piano, violin, organ, and cello, as well as the traditional drums, guitar, and bass. For some songs, such as “ Woodwind Loop,” Tabish and backing vocalists John Onstott and Jenny Hsu veil their voices with a muffled, retro sound reminiscent of an old-school record, which adds to the unique quality of the track. Each of the songs on Tamer Animals contain shades of different musical influences, such as the country-inspired opening of “Dust Bowl III” or the jazzy feel of “Old Statues,” but ultimately the songs remain tried and true indie rock tracks.
It is no surprise that Other Lives’ music has been featured on television shows such as Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy, and One Tree Hill. In Tamer Animals I discovered a collection of songs that boasts a tremendous grasp on timbre and tone. The purely instrumental track “Heading East,” for example, possesses a dynamic quality that actually does inspire images of a journey through the head and sand, searching for a destination in the east. Hearing a song this moving, which only lasts a startlingly short two and a half minutes, I can safely conclude one thing: the members of Other Lives are clearly blessed with both talent and passion for their craft.
Other Lives is currently touring the United States, and the Tamer Animals album is set for wide release August 29.
