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Album Review

Oholics – “Disgraceland”

As the opening track from Oholics’ Disgraceland started playing in my iTunes library, I loved it so much that I immediately opened the IM conversation I’d been having with a friend and told him how good it was. I desperately wanted the rest of the album to be just as enjoyable. Was it? Well… not quite. But it was still pretty darned good. The first two songs, “Step Inside” and “Columbine” respectively, simply have a pure and frenetic kind of energy that the rest of the album can’t quite live up to.

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As the opening track from Oholics’ Disgraceland started playing in my iTunes library, I loved it so much that I immediately opened the IM conversation I’d been having with a friend and told him how good it was. I desperately wanted the rest of the album to be just as enjoyable. Was it? Well… not quite. But it was still pretty darned good. The first two songs, “Step Inside” and “Columbine” respectively, simply have a pure and frenetic kind of energy that the rest of the album can’t quite live up to.

Christoffer Rydeståhl’s grungy vocal is melodic yet gravelly, akin to Tom Gabel of Against Me!, although at times Rydeståhl leans more toward the whiny britpop stylings of Oasis or the Charlatans. And the funky psychedelic guitar/sitar work, as heard particularly on the instrumental title track “Disgraceland”, “I Am The Sun” and “We Hold The Key To Your Head” make for interesting listening, though they are not particularly catchy. The latter introduces some unusual rhythms, which comes as a relief due to the songs before it starting to feel a little stagnant.

Similar to the beginning of the album, the end is also quite strong. “Wasted Youth” is pleasant and upbeat, while “Wake Up” has an anthemic feel as it comprises all the elements from the rest of the record; it’s energetic, noisy, and enjoyably trippy. Despite some of the middle of the album feeling like filler, on the whole – and considering this is Oholics’ debut release – this is an altogether decent record.  [ END ]

Track Listing:

01. Step Inside
02. Columbine
03. Lose It
04. Dream On
05. Disgraceland
06. Lucy Leave
07. I Am The Sun
08. Endless Sea
09. We Hold The Key To Your Head
10. Wasted Youth
11. Wake Up

Run Time: 44:30
Release Date: 11.25.2009

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