Ours To Destroy
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Ours To Destroy

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Band Folk Rock

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"The pin have feeling for melody, sing beautifully two sober and throw to form often their votes in the fight unusual background choruses"

This was published in Moore's Magazine (a Dutch publication) by Holly Moore.

Ours To Destroy is een duo. Steve Dodd en David Morley maakten samen een album dat qua sfeer nog het meeste doet denken aan psychedelische undergroundalbums uit de jaren zestig. In die periode in de popmuziek, die we gerust als ongekend creatief kunnen aanduiden, werden ook vrij gemakkelijk allerlei elementen en idioterieën in de muziek toegelaten. Hier horen we niet alleen de nu ook wel gebruikelijke samples - fragmenten van radioreclamespotjes, stadsgeluiden, natuurgeluiden - maar ook vreemde percussie, overstuurde gitaren en veel onbekend geluid dat mooi in de muziek wordt verwerkt.

In een nummers als Happy Now komt alles wat deze band zo leuk maakt wel zo'n beetje samen - een mooie catchy melodie, zachte balladachtige passages en stukken snoeiharde hardrock, met een paar hele mooie riffs. De heren hebben gevoel voor melodie, zingen fraai tweestemmig en gooien vaak hun stemmen in de strijd om ongewone achtergrondkoortjes te vormen ("hoejahaha hoejahaha, hoeja hahahee"). En soms komt er ook gewoon een prachtig ingetogen liedje langs, begeleid door twee tokkelende gitaren. Maar meestal zijn de arrangementen toch wat vreemder en avontuurlijker. Af en toe doen ze wat denken aan de Holy Modal Rounders - psychedelische folkrock dus, met in dit geval regelmatig snoeiharde randjes. Geen geluidsbehang dus, maar zeer geschikt voor iedereen die mee wil op een avontuurlijke muzikale ontdekkingsreis.


Translation (or mangulation) using Bablefish:

Ours To Destroy is a duo. Stern Dodd and David Morley made together an album that think does as for atmosphere yet most of psychedelische undergroundalbums from the years sixty. In that period in the rock music, that we indicate can easy as unprecedently creatively, also freely easy all sorts of elements and idioterieën in the music were permitted. Here we hear not only the now also well customary samples - fragments of radio advertising derision, cities sounds, nature sounds - only also strange percussie, sent guitars and many strange sound that processes becomes well in the music.

In a numbers as Happy Now comes everything this tie so nicely makes well such bit together - a beautiful catchy melody, soft balladachtige passages and pieces snoeiharde hardrock, with a few whole beautiful riffs. of. The pin have feeling for melody, sing beautifully two sober and throw to form often their votes in the fight unusual background choruses ("hoejahaha hoejahaha, hoeja hahahee"). And sometimes comes there also normally a beautiful modest song along, accompanied through two strumming guitars. Only mostly are the arrangementen really a little stranger and more adventurous. Finished and closed do they what think of the Holy Modal Rounders - psychedelische folkrock thus, with in this case regular snoeiharde edges. No sounds wallpaper thus, but sore arranged for everybody that with will on an adventurous musical voyage of discovery.
- Moore's Magazine, by Holly Moors


"Like driving a broken down Ford into the desert sun"

Ours to Destroy came highly recommended by a good friend. The minute I clicked play on their song ‘Two Thousand Sunsets’ it completely took me away from what I was doing and put my mind somewhere in the desert, driving a broken down Ford thinking of the next chapter in my journey. Their music is very eclectic and you won’t find one song similar to another.

Source:
http://www.theplugg.com/2007/05/21/rustys-pandora-box-blanche-ours-to-destroy-and-turner-cody/ - The Plugg.com, by Rusty


"Anyone with an appreciation for good writing, and originality should give them a listen"

Ours To Destroy describe themselves as an "anarchist folk abstract". In fact on their website, they reach out for fan participation in classifying their genre, as well as contributing to their next album. I was actually quite impressed with their website, even though I'm supposed to be reviewing their music.

Keeping in mind that this band is not your average pop/rock band, I was instantly intrigued by them. Having been my given my choice of band to write about, after hearing 10 seconds of "Checkmate", I new this was the band for me. As I listened more and read more about them I realized why I like them so much. They list their influences as Modest Mouse, Wilco, Ween, The Eels, the Flaming Lips, and Mark Lanegan. I can hear all of these bands within their sound and would even add Frank Zappa and The Drive By Truckers. I really enjoyed the folk country feel of "Two Thousand Sunsets", and "Skipping Rope OF Daisies". Our To Destroy seem to pride themselves on creating a mood with each song.

Out of the 5 songs on their website I would have to say "Exorcising Demons" was my favorite, but each is so different form the last it's truly difficult to pick a favorite. They are all so much their own sound, and they are all "bridged by sound montages captured during several guerilla recording sessions on the streets and in the malls of Calgary during 2005", according to their bio.

From a production standpoint, everything sounds polished and professional. The performances are all excellent, with at some times so much going on it leaves you having to listen again just to catch what you missed the first time around. There is some really nice guitar work, and vocally everything seems to fit. The samples are very tasteful, and a great use of percussion.

Ours To Destroy won't be for everyone, but anyone with an appreciation for good writing, and originality should give them a listen. "saved by the bell - rock rating"

Zack <=== that's the best rating on Steamroller! Thank God we didn't get Screech.

Source: http://www.wornrecords.ca/steamroller/ - The Steamroller, by John Simmonds


"A couple of Calgary songwriters get clever with folk, found sounds and a yen for adding a modern indie edge to early Pink Floyd-inspired art rock."

A couple of Calgary songwriters / producers get clever with folk, found sounds and a yen for adding a modern indie edge to early Pink Floyd-inspired art rock. Yeah, that's a pretty ambitious sonic recipe, but this alternately sprawling and intimate full-length -- which took three years to complete, and includes aural esoterica captured at Calgary's various malls -- attains buoyancy more often than it sinks beneath the weight of its intentions. For every misguided "Exorcising Demons," there's an engaging "Checkmate" and a "Happy Now," and the duo is at its best when its more straightforward, melodic influences (Dylan, Eels) shine through the interesting noise, as on "Skipping Rope with Daisies" and "There Are No Words for Here."

Source: http://tampa.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A167009

- CreativeLoafing, by Scott Harrell


"If the inter-track sound effects haven't convinced you that OTD also has a sense of humour, the movements in this song will."

Ours To Destroy is Steve Dodd and David Morley. They are currently offering their self-titled, debut album as “a unique juxtaposition of folk with more agressive experimental rock and melodic pop.” If you are looking for great value in an indie recording, and your musical tastes take you out of the mainstream, you might want to add this CD to your collection. Many of the songs are about dreams, staying grounded, and the nether regions of the human psyche.

David Morley is also known as “Damo”, the perfect handle for a lyricist with a penchant for intensity. If lyrics are your thing, it won’t take you long to figure out that this guy gets peed off, not in a death-metal kind of way, but he certainly seems to be carrying around some baggage (ironically, his contributions include “suitcase percussion"). That’s not to say that I don’t share some of his concerns, or that the album is negative; however, I could have lived without its “obligatory" shot at George dubya. But in fact, the album is great fun. Anyway, I don't spend a great deal of time listening to lyrics that aren't already right in my face, and if they turn me off, say, in a Bruce Cockburn kind of way, I’m always happy to reciprocate. (NOTE: Those who know me well know that I have my fair share of “good causes" and that I actively promote them. I’m just not into psuedo theme songs for “social responsibility” of the I-don’t-care-that-this-is-the-first-time-in-13-weeks-a-blue-sky-has-coincided-with-your-day-off-you-have-to-listen-to-me-drone-on-about- pollution-caused-by-say-artificial-fabrics kind, not that OTD is into that sort of schtick; they’re not, or at least they don’t seem to be.)

OTD definitely doesn’t bum me out. This is one of those recordings with so much going on that I can effortlessly focus on any number of elements, all of which are delivered with a great measure of expertise and synergy, and without the sense of contrivance sometimes present in independent releases. For me, OTD is background music deluxe that will keep on giving over the long haul of my collection—comedy and drama punctuated with subtlety and nuance, with a healthy amount of noise to keep me interested when nothing else will.

Damo sings the lyrics he writes and plays rhythm and bass guitars, keyboards, and suitcase. He also shares programming with Steve, who plays lead guitar exceptionally well. Steve contributes to the rhythm section, as well as the vocals, keyboards, and percussion. He plays drums, plucks a veena, and produces great effects and wonderful noises. Steve and Damo produced this collection by themselves in Calgary, Alberta.

The OTD website categorizes the songs as Pop, Folk, and Rock. More specifically, that would be Storytime Rock, Creepy Rock, Hard Rock, Experimental Rock, Groove Rock, Punk Rock, Dark Folk, Political Folk, Instrumental Folk, Experimental Folk, Folk Pop, Pop, and a Ballad. That seems to be quite a mix, but because the quys like to tell stories, I’d say they were just experimental balladeers who enjoy playing acoustic guitars as much as they do plugging into a crazy amplification system. The opening number is decidedly garage with Lou Reed-ish vocals. The instrumental chorus promises an album of many surprises, which are, in fact delivered over the next fourteen songs. Next up is “Two Thousand Sunsets” the big picture tale of a country boy’s move to the big city, where “life goes down." Johnny eventually goes home, but he must have seen a few things while he was away because the next song, “Dread”, seems to take place in an alley somewhere where someone, maybe “Johnny", is trying to think of someone to blame. The organ is a great addition. After all this grittiness, I just wasn’t expecting the Betty Boop-inspired, Grateful Dead-style of psychedelia I found on “Skipping Rope of Daisies” or the totally off-the-wallness of “Happy Now”, one of OTD’s more nihilistic offerings; it’s about the merry-go-round of contemporary life on which we sometimes find ourselves. If the inter-track sound effects haven't convinced you that OTD also has a sense of humour, the movements in this song will. I enjoyed the rest of the songs on the album, as well. I found the imagery created by “Exorcising Demons” to be exceptional.

Ours to Destroy is an excellent value, not only because the album was three years in the making, but also because they used this time productively to develop their studio skills. I fully expect that this investment in experimentation will pay off nicely. Watch for new efforts from Dodd and Morley.

4 stars/5 stars.

Source: http://www.lucidforge.com/music/album-reviews/ours-to-destroy.html
- LucidForge.com, by Stephen Noel


"Some found sounds collected at a mall are sprinkled in for texture, and the result is a layered album that began acoustic and ended up in the further reaches of the indie rock soundscape."

Music lovers live to unearth obscure gems amidst piles of albums at record stores. The pleasant surprises are what keeps aficionados digging, and Ours To Destroy is going to make more than a few hipsters happy.

Their latest self-titled album is a slow-cooked collection of divergent herbs and spices, drawing inspiration from Lou Reed, Wilco, Johnny Cash, and The Pixies among others. Some found sounds collected at a mall are sprinkled in for texture, and the result is a layered album that began acoustic and ended up in the further reaches of the indie rock soundscape.

Steve Dodd and David Morley began recording the album at The Sound Mind Studio (owned by Dodd) in Calgary. Morely’s vocals can have a strangled speak-sing sound reminiscent of Reed, and at other times he will seem Cash-esque, like in his convict country turn in “Two Thousand Sunsets.”

Dodd and Morely are definitely music lovers of their own right and have no problem revealing their influences. Though they certainly put their own voice in all these songs, you can tell who the band was listening to during the various phases of recording.

Two versions of “Happy Now” are included, one radio-friendly and the other unfiltered. The track is classic Pixies coil-and-spring, with the feel of adolescent mood swings bouncing between aggressive, playful and bored.

The best moment of the album is one of the found sounds at the end of “Plastic Sparkles” where their mission to find sound clips in the mall comes to an abrupt end.

“Security to camera 4, security to camera 4,” an urgent security guard calls.

“Ooh, I bet that’s us, we should get out of here,” the band mumbles and chuckles.

This album is not merely a grouping of send-ups to their favorite bands, but a studied exploration of music that excites them.

Source: http://www.indie-music.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5283 - Indie-Music.com, By Charles Martin


"Seemed to challenge all genres at once, mixing a distinctive type of heavier folk rock with a hint of almost electronic-style pop"

Out of 15 tracks on the album, I could not find one obvious single or conventional radio hit from Ours to Destroy's self-titled debut. More accurately, I could not find a Top-40 radio sensation that would be overplayed on genre-neutral stations. In other words, it was refreshing. As your average listener, I consume a lot of mainstream music and enjoy it along the way. This CD, however, seemed to challenge all genres at once, mixing a distinctive type of heavier folk rock with a hint of almost electronic-style pop - both of which I usually have no interest in. Screaming examples of this are songs such as "Skipping Rope of Daisies" and "Plastic Sparkles".

I do not want to say that this band is beginning to find their voice as that sounds as if they are only starting out and have no business in making a record yet - and these guys do. I am actually rather surprised that this band is not more popular. Instead of releasing a debut album of safe bet rock riffs and simple lyrics, Ours to Destroy has taken the chance of being distinctly apart and rather political right out of the gate. Many of the melodies are really very beautiful, others equally passionate, and the lead vocalist has this old crooner sort of vibe that can pull off a lyrical storyline. This is certainly a band you want to start following now; there is really no telling where they go from here and if this CD is any indication, it is certainly worth coming along for the ride.
- Brock Press, by Rebecca Lazarenko


"OTD is a kind of neo-psychedelic rock band, with a certain quirkiness that recalls Guided by Voices, but they followed their own muse and that is usually what brings out the best in people, this being no exception"

What a good time to be alive, especially if you love music. Thank gawd for independent, underground labels and for the new technologies that make it possible for bands and artists to produce and distribute their own stuff, via media like the internet, self-promotion, mail and indie record stores that help sell the stuff on the street.

Ours to Destroy, a two-man band from Calgary Canada, is just such an underground duo that has much merit and has just put out this self-titled debut CD full of great stuff. OTD is a kind of neo-psychedelic rock band, with a certain quirkiness that recalls Guided by Voices, but they have gone their own way and followed their own muse and that is usually what brings out the best in people, this being no exception. A couple examples of bliss from this CD are: “Happy Now”, the opening track, “Checkmate” and one I really enjoyed a lot: “Exorcising Demons”.

I hope they keep on enjoying what they’re doing and continue to make good records.

Source: http://reviewermag.com/ - Reviewer Magazine, by Kent Manthie


"I am so freaking glad i came across this band because i am in awe of how good the music is"

In a freak accident i came across this band called, Ours to Destroy, click here to go to the website. Or, check out the media player for one of their songs called, Skipping Rope of Daises. I am so freaking glad i came across this band because i am in awe of how good the music is. They claim that the music is all inspired by Wilco which is awesome but i think they could have done it all on their own if they wanted. Lots of talent and the sky is the limit.

Source: http://www.musicopinion.org/phpbb2/portal.php - MusicOpinion.org, by Jeff


"Prairies Track of the Day"

I decided to discover something new among the thousands of New Music Canada bands on our site. I wanted something that would either exemplify the prairies I'm headed to, or at least be from my home province. After searching everything containing Saskatchewan, Regina, or prairies, I happened upon this little gem. It's simply called "Prairies" by Ours to Destroy from Calgary.

It's got accordion, guitar, a tambourine, and a sweet voice shaking ever so gently with reverb, all before a little found-sound and static. It's cool.

"North and east and south of here, the skies stretch bold and beautiful..."

I love my gold and green of Saskatchewan.

I wanted to discover someone/something new that exemplified Saskatchewan to me. After searching through quite a few different songs yours played like a brilliant beacon on a dark, flatland highway. It is a FABULOUS song and I can't wait to hear more from Ours to Destroy.

Amanda Putz, CBC Radio One

Source: http://radio3.cbc.ca/blogs/2007/08/New-Music-Canada-Track-of-the-Day-for-August-8th-2007-Ours-to-Destroy-Prairies - CBC New Music Canada, by Amanda Putz


Discography

Ours To Destroy: Ours To Destroy. Released February 2006.

The band is currently working on their second full length release scheduled for a summer 2009 release. Alien Man is the first single from this album.

Photos

Bio

Ours To Destroy are Listener Supported Band. Our existing music is free of charge, our fans decide whether or not to support us.

REVIEWS

Indie-Music.com:
"...a slow-cooked collection of divergent herbs and spices, drawing inspiration from Lou Reed, Wilco, Johnny Cash, and The Pixies."

The Brock Press:
"...seemed to challenge all genres at once, mixing a distinctive type of heavier folk rock with a hint of almost electronic-style pop."

Reviewer Magazine:
"OTD is a kind of neo-psychedelic rock band, with a certain quirkiness that recalls Guided by Voices, but they have gone their own way and followed their own muse and that is usually what brings out the best in people, this being no exception."

Amanda Putz, CBC Radio One:
"After searching through quite a few different songs yours played like a brilliant beacon on a dark, flatland highway. Prairies is a FABULOUS song..."

INFLUENCES

Modest Mouse, Eels, Wilco, Ween, Guided by Voices, Johnny Cash, the Flaming Lips, and Mark Lanegan.

ACHIEVEMENTS

2ND ALBUM: Being funded by Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

NXNE 2008: Unsolicited invite from John Kastner Programming Director. We opened for Besnard Lakes & Swervedriver @ the main show @ Lee's Palace. Featured in artist brochure.

CMJ 2008 NEW YORK: Shortlisted...so close but so far - here's to 2009!

ALIEN MAN: Featured on HeroHill's Alberta Mix Tape.

TWO THOUSAND SUNSETS: Selected for a UK based compilation called Walk The Line. Semi-finalist in International Song Writing Competition.

PRAIRIES: Selected by Amanda Putz as Song of the Day on New Music Canada in 2007.