Brilliant Unappreciated Album III: Diceman Lopez

Band: Obi
Album: Diceman Lopez
Year Released: 2004
Year Discovered: 2005


One day in 2005, out of nowhere, Josh Sorensen said, "You've got to listen to Obi." Josh said that about a lot of bands in 2005 as he was seemingly having his mind blown every other day by either AM/FM or the Unicorns or Mirah or the Features or someone. But that day it was Obi. But unlike every other band he sent my way, he added "You'll probably love them. They're English." It should be noted that in this story, Josh is merely the conduit through which Obi's music was passed from the band to me for, as Josh will himself admit, Obi does nothing for him now. But I continue to listen to Obi, who seems a downright unsuccessful band when it comes down to it. They don't even have an official website any more, which is tragic on one hand, but on the other hand, I can't find out more about them which typically makes me like a band less. (I hate finding out that bands met after someone answered an ad in Melody Maker, or that three quarters of the band was fired after the first album, or that they all dabble in the perverted arts. I prefer to think they all met in college, are best buddies, and are good wholesome types who are in it for the music.)

So, back to Diceman Lopez. First off, the album's very melodic. I like that. The singer's voice is pretty good. I like that. And, even better, the musical style of the album, shifts from gypsy in the first two songs, to American rustic, to spaghetti western. It's really awesome. Especially, especially, especially, the killer Spanish trumpets on Tale of Old Rodriguez. You will not hear a cooler song from 2004. The tale of Old Rodriguez and his good friend one-eyed Lopez. Tell me, how many bands dare to tell such a tale? As is often the case, I reference the Decemberists and their epic Mariner's Revenge Song, but unlike that song this Tale of Old Rodriguez isn't sung sardonically (which makes it better. I don't like the band winking at me.) The song following (Sleep Well Dear Friend) is a song that if I had a friend that was ever proficient enough at the guitar to stumble through it, I would want sung at my funeral. I'm really not sure what it is about that song, but it should be so sappy, but it's not. Anyway, the album is all over the place stylistically, but there's something incredibly effortless about the whole endeavour. I never get the feeling that the band is "trying to make an important awesome record." They just do.