Ohbijou began as the solo project of Brantford singer-songwriter Casey Meci… Read Full Bio ↴Ohbijou began as the solo project of Brantford singer-songwriter Casey Mecija (born 1981). (She also works as a production assistant at MuchMusic.) Through the process of songwriting and composition, Casey discovered a need for the musical support of her sister Jennifer Mecija (born 1985), whom Casey invited to assist with her early performances. The Mecija sisters later moved to Toronto to attend Ryerson University and the Ontario College of Art and Design, respectively - Mecija soon saw what kinds of music existed in Toronto, and began to seriously consider playing her own music for a real audience.

In Toronto, the band expanded to include Heather Kirby (bass, banjo), James Bunton (drums, trumpet), Anissa Hart (cello), Ryan Carley (piano, synth, glockenspiel, electric piano, harpsichord), and Andrew Kinoshita (mandolin). In the context of Ohbijou, Casey remains as lead vocalist, though also plays guitar, piano and ukulele. Jennifer continues to add vocal layering, moreover, her instrumental contributions to Ohbijou include violin, harmochord, glockenspiel, organ and melodica.

The music of Ohbijou, which draws on pop, folk and bluegrass influences, has been classified in the indie pop genre. Casey has cited the music of Canadian songwriter Julie Doiron as an inspiration. The music has been described as being similar to Bic Runga and Mazzy Star, and called "hushed, heart-tugging music".

Since the release of their debut album Swift Feet for Troubling Times in 2006, Ohbijou have played festivals across Canada, including the Osheaga Festival in Montreal and the Hillside Festival in Guelph. They played the opening set for the Virgin Festival in Toronto, and were nominated for the 2007 Galaxie Rising Stars Award of the CBC, competing with artists such as IllScarlett, Final Fantasy and Emily Haines of Metric. The band were among the organizers of a 2007 compilation CD, Friends in Bellwoods - based out of Mecija's own Bellwoods Ave. Toronto home and practice space for Ohbijou and their friends - as a benefit for Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. In 2008 they were chosen as one of three bands for the Banff Centre's first Indie Band Residency, where they had the opportunity to spend two weeks working with some top producers and recording engineers.

Their music has been playlisted on CBC Radio 3. Their song "St. Francis" peaked at #4 on the network's weekly charts in December of 2006, and ranked as the #34 song on the network's year-end singles chart. More recently, Ohbijou was included in the April 5, 2008 broadcast of CBC Radio's The Vinyl Cafe and chosen as Aux.tv's X3 Artist of the month for August 2009, in partnership with CBC Radio 3 and Exclaim!. As well, Casey Mecija was named one of Chatelaine's 80 Women to Watch for 2008.

Ohbijou is nationally distributed through Outside Music. The band released their sophomore album entitled Beacons in the spring of 2009.

Casey Mecija recently covered The Beatles "Dear Prudence" for American Laundromat Records charity CD "Sing Me To Sleep - Indie Lullabies" which releases worldwide on May 18, 2010.

Ohbijou is...
Casey Mecija – vocals, guitar, ukulele, piano
Jennifer Mecija – violin, harmochord, Glockenspiel, melodica, vocals
Heather Kirby – bass, banjo
James Bunton – drums, trumpet
Anissa Hart – cello
Ryan Carley – piano, synth, Glockenspiel, electric piano, harpsichord
Andrew Kinoshita – mandolin

Echo Bay
Ohbijou Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I′ll lay it down
I'll push it out
All the way
All the way

I′ll shout your name
Into echo bay
My voice will break

Entire waves(?)

I'll show restraint
Find safer space(?)
My voice is fake
In echo bay

The sunlight skims
A skimming wind
I'll let you go,
Then let you in
I stood yelling
In the (?)
A million words so desperately

I′ll lay it down
I′ll push it out
All the way
All the way

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ohbijou's song Echo Bay seem to be about a relationship that is on the verge of ending. The singer is frustrated and has tried everything they can to save the relationship, but it seems like nothing is working. In the first verse, the singer talks about laying it all down and pushing it out, which could be interpreted as them finally letting go of the relationship and moving on. They shout the other person's name into Echo Bay, a reference to the location, possibly symbolizing that they are crying out for help, but no one is listening. The singer's voice cracks as it echoes across the bay, implying that they are emotional and vulnerable.

In the second verse, the singer talks about restraint and finding safer spaces, which could mean they are trying to protect themselves emotionally from the pain of the situation. They also admit that their voice is fake in Echo Bay, which could mean that they have been hiding their true feelings and put on a façade for the sake of the relationship. The next few lines could be interpreted as the singer reflecting on past memories with the other person, as they describe the sunlight skimming and a skimming wind, which could represent the fleeting nature of good times. Finally, in the chorus, the singer once again lays it all down and pushes it out, knowing that it's time to move on from the relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

I'll lay it down
I will express myself fully

I'll push it out
I will not hold back my thoughts or emotions

All the way
I will go to any lengths to communicate effectively

I'll shout your name
I will declare my love for you loudly

Into echo bay
Even if my words go unheard, they will resonate in my heart

My voice will break
Despite my efforts to control my emotions, they will overcome me

Entire waves(?)
My feelings are so strong they will create waves in the ocean

I'll show restraint
I will attempt to keep my feelings in check

Find safer space(?)
I will search for a place where I can be vulnerable without being hurt

My voice is fake
Despite my best efforts, my words do not reflect my true feelings

In echo bay
The echoes of my thoughts and emotions are distorted by the landscape

The sunlight skims
The light is fleeting and barely touches the surface

A skimming wind
The wind is light and fleeting like the sun

I'll let you go,
I will relinquish control of the situation

Then let you in
I will open my heart to you

I stood yelling
I was consumed by my emotions and unable to voice them effectively

In the (?),
The location is unspecified, possibly reflecting a sense of displacement and uncertainty

A million words so desperately
I have so much to say, but my words fail me

Oh, oh, oh, oh
An expression of emotional intensity and vulnerability

Writer(s): Bunton James Paul, Carley Ryan William, Hart Anissa Rashida, Kirby Heather L, Mecija Casey Nicole, Mecija Jennifer Lyn

Contributed by Josiah V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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