Ox - Burnout

'Distance has always figured strongly in Ox's music. This is a place where people are always on the move, forever climbing into that beat-up old car and making a go of it. The band dips into a dark space- somewhere within the sad piano of the debut's 'Stolen Car'- but which here is given room on the trippy, hypnotic groan of 'Unknown Legend.' Ox sketches a scene of a long road through the night and an eight-track soundtrack of REO Speedwagon, hope out of reach but not out of mind in a world where the little things- the minute details, matter. And so, 'Burnout' finds Ox on the move, ducking and weaving but never giving up, always fighting through the night and heading for the promise of a new dawn somewhere just over the rise. Another masterful piece of work.' Eden Munro, Vue Weekly, Edmonton, November 19th 2009 'Very few records are crafted to accentuate the oranges and yellows that grab your eye when the first cold winds hit- and this one is perfectly tailored for those mornings when the sun just just can't warm you enough. Burnout is a record you absorb and fall in love with, not just listen to when the mood feels right. Stolen gear, hangovers, car accidents and the weight of not having a home- you can hear the exhaustion tucked into every line.' Herohill, September 30th 2009 'It's not often that I get my hands on a record by an Ontario band that live beyond the northern edge of the GTA, let alone from the near North of Sudbury, which makes Ox an intriguing prospect. There's a real Northern Ontario element to Ox's music, a quality that matches the rough-hewed edges of the Canadian Shield, broken by pools of placid lakes and spires of mighty trees, but still has a suburban sensibility to it. Driven by passion, the majestic sounding "Unknown Legend", is a song that would be as at home in Wilco's set list as it would on the Weakerthans- "Your Old Buick", an ode to a rusted-out car, would sound tongue-in-cheek in lesser hands, but Ox turn it into a lament for a bygone time when the road was open with life and all it's possibilities. The album may be called 'Burnout' but, three albums into their career, it looks like Ox are just starting to shine. Quick Before It Melts, USA, November 3rd 2009 'On their previous efforts Ox appeared to be a lighter version of Neil Young and a less clunky version of Crazy Horse. Here, the impression is of a lazy river meandering along on a sleepy afternoon with the band as dragonflies shimmering just above the surface. The drums crash and whisper, guitars are scrubbed and there are flashes and stabs of inspiration from the electric guitar. At times this recalling the hazy glory of The Grateful Dead. At least three songs here achieve heights many bands can only dream of: 'Your Old Buick' could have come from Richmond Fontaine in a miniature of small town America, bust up cars and drunk driving- 'Speedwagon' is a laid-back reflective paean to 8-track REO Speedwagon and Kiss, 'Burnout' is a tale of rock star ennui. There is much to enjoy and savor here, a minor masterpiece' Paul Kerr, Americana UK, October 26th 2009 'Ox continues to offer up surprises. Despite healthy doses of psych and reverb, Burnout veers into the realm of slow core with whisper-soft drums and feedback-inspired strings before cranking it's way back to mid-tempo bang and twang. This album sees the band's lineup at a studio-cramming high, but the album lives and dies on Mark Browning's crooked croon and inspired pop culture references. Burnout may only offer six new songs, but with material this good, you don't need any more.' Jason Lewis, FFWD Weekly, Calgary, Oct 15th 2009.