OSI — Free

The label and the background of the members of this band may be misleading, except the current band of keyboardplayer Kevin Moore, which is Chroma Key. The band of guitarist Jim Matheos has a dedicated following but is also the victim of pigeonholing and therefore I’m not going to mention it just because this band deserves a fair chance with people who aren’t necessarily interested in Matheos’ own band or Moore’s former band. Not to mention drummer Mike Portnoy, who is often taken off the job in favour of the drumcomputer.

Apparently the two enjoyed working together so much, that their untitled debut didn’t turn out a one-off, as we have a followup right here. Moore and Matheos take a more direct approach. Less noodling with effects on vocals (although still some) and an overall sound that’s less dense: more air, more space to breathe. An excellent choice, as songs Go and the spinechilling Home Was Good don’t need it. Delicate electronic sounds remind of clicks ‘n’ cuts but now combined with strong songwriting, instead of the microcosm of sound itself. From there it can also break into louder, groovier electronics, sometimes with a small dash of prog. Songs like the opening Sure You Will are carried by heavy guitarcrunches, whose abundance always will be balanced out by Kevin Moore’s calm voice. You could say the banjo in the album’s closing track Our Town is an indication of the difference between this album and their atmospheric and more spaced-out first: Free is more earthly.

Free is an album almost destined to be be misunderstood. Misunderstood by the people who pick it because of the resume’s of the bandmembers and just as misunderstood by those who decide to ignore it for the same reason. These people miss a melancholic (not to say depressive) masterpiece, a unique mixture of electronic pop and rock.