The Oh Wells – Does The Sun Rise Vol. 2

You’ll remember Ira Merrill from one of Seattle’s two best power pop bands of all time, Super Deluxe (the other being The Heats). Does The Sun Rise Vol II is the second half of their larger Does The Sun Rise project (read about Vol I here). Released June 17 and produced by Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, R.E.M., Big Star), the seven-track EP features Brian Kerrigan and Ira Merrill on vocals and guitars, with Steve Gale on drums and Jason Denney on bass. Stringfellow adds piano, organ, and more, giving the songs a polished yet organic feel.

Philosopher’s Jangle

The philosophical title track features jangly arrangements that evoke classic 1960s–70s folk-rock with a modern sheen. The harmonies are so good that they alone are worth the price of admission. Other highlights include “Prolly OK But Could Be Poisoned”, a song Ira calls “A comical sketch about a fellow who suspects his lover might want to poison him”, the road-weary “Halfway To Memphis”, the chiming guitars of “Into The Night” and the emotional resolve of “Angel Heart”. This last one is particularly interesting as it imagines Mickey Rourke’s character as if having wandered into a Hank Williams song.

Get Volume II Here

The band’s strength remains their melody-driven storytelling, classic folk-rock roots (echoing Tom Petty, CSNY, and The Jayhawks influences from earlier work), and tight vocal interplay. At roughly 26 minutes, it leaves you wanting the complete album, but stands alone as a solid, heartfelt listen for fans of modern Americana and melodic guitar pop in general. Get yours at their BANDCAMP PAGE.