The debut became "I'm seeking something that has already found me", in 1996. The record was recorded in the "Ozark Henry Living Room", but was produced in the Synsound studio's by another electronic guru: Telex-man Dan Lacksman. The result was a multi-layered cd that was received well in the press. The originality of the music was proven by the multitude of comparisons that were found to classify it in the press: Tricky, Scott Walker, The The, Soul Coughing, Bowie, John Zorn, Frank Zappa, Moby, Gavin Friday (perhaps nowadays Dead Man Ray would also have been mentioned ...)
In Knack, Jan Delvaux reviewed the record as follows : "Ozark Heny fits in the series of clever belgian recyclists (dEUS, Evil Superstars, Vaya Con Dios ...) that surprise the world more and more often. The mission of this duo is situated in dance-related areas, although the apparent traces of rap, acid jazz, jungle, triphop and techno are nothing but a vague first coating. On top of this come strange noises and very complicated song-structures full of surprising twists and turns. It makes this record a turbulent document with a filmic bias. The steadiest element in all this is the voice of Piet Goddaer ... Despite the many layers, the entrance gate is wide open. "I'm seeking" is, albeit a very unusual, a very impressive pop-album."
In the summer of 1997, material for a second album was recorded. This cd never has seen the light (only the song "Summer Junkie" made it to the second album), because the first one was released in France by Sony and started doing very well over there. (eg. from Les Inrockuptibles : "Ozark Henry : c'est du triphop Zappien mariné dans le formol du jazz experimental et drappé dans les fantômes de la new wave."). As Piet Goddaer said in de Morgen : "In the meantime, the record had been lying there and felt like an old thing when we came back from France. I want to release a cd when it's still fresh. That's why we made a new record."
The second cd eventually became "This last warm solitude", released in October 1998. Noticeable changes are that the songstructures have become much more "simple", that Piet Goddaer now sings more than he raps, and that quite a lot of melancholy has crept into the lyrics and songs. The "layered-ness" of the music, the richness of the sound and the electronic programming of the songs have remained. The production was in the hands of Goddaer himself, aided by Roy Spong and Mark Phythian, the left- and right-hand of Gil Norton (Pixies ...).
The melancholic single "Radio" (about an incurably ill friend) received a lot of airplay, and the reception of this more easily accessible record has been very promising so far : (vb. Teek : "This last warm solitude is like a labyrinth lying in the sun, with every new junction sounding off an inviting welcome" - vb. De Morgen : "Musically this colorful jigsaw of triphop, eighties wave, experimental pop and minimal music has everything to make a lasting impression, far beyond the Belgian borders."
On stage, the group gives a lot of attention to the visual aspect. Piet Goddaer in De Morgen : "For me, sound and vision always come together. The record is also a soundtrack to a non-existing film for me. On stage, we make the images live, an organic process where image and sound feed each other. A lot can go wrong in that chain, but if there were only secure things, I wouldn't be interested in being up there." At the end of 1999, "This Last Warm Solitude" was re-released, with an extra cd containing a live-show in Paris.
In March 2000, Ozark Henry did a contribution to the "Glittering 2000" project, on which belgian bands covered songs from the glamrock era, by doing a version of David Bowie's "Suffragette City". Under the nickname Sunzoo Manley, a pseudo which emerged for the first time on the single "If This Is Love" of LaTchak (a sideproject of Front 242), he then proceeded onto a totally different project. In the band Sunzoo Manley, he joined forces with drummer Stéphane Galland (Aka Moon) & saxophone player Frank Deruytter (Wizards of Ooze). The debut CD "To All Our Escapes", a fine exercise in crossing jazz with (break)beats, was released in March 2001.
Also in 2001, he released his third album as Ozark Henry, this time with the title "Birth Marks" (thus, Piet Goddaer found himself twice on the same day at Pukkelpop, with both his projects: Ozark Henry and Sunzoo Manley). The actual CD-release was for September 10, but there was already a promo-single "Rescue" at the end of August, distributed through the website of Studio Brussels.
For the recordings of "Birthmarks", Ozark Henry got the support of the Audrey Riley Octet, an ensemble that has a track record including work for Blur, The Cure, Muse, Coldplay and Smashing Pumpkins. Started with no less than 90 songs for the choosing, only 10 tracks made it to the actual album (which was released in a limited edition, wit 5 bonus tracks). As the bio says : "10 songs that can only be described as "rich": gospel choirs, brass sections, strings, and the newly discovered Voice. The sum of all these parts: pop music with brains and emotions, adaptable to every possible biorhythm".
In 2004 "The Sailor not the Sea" is released. It features Jah Wobble, Jaki Liebezeit and again Audrey Riley. It is very well received and hits gold in no time.
Band members :
- Piet Goddaer (vocals, sequensing, programming)
- Dick Descamps (bass - on stage only)
- Stef Catteeuw (guitar - on stage only)
- Rik Debruyne (drums - on stage only)
formerly also
- Filip Tanghe (programming)
- Paul Isaac (keyboards - on stage only)
Cincinnati
Ozark Henry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And how I would have without fail
The estate was mortgaged, we had to move out
And all that's destructive came our way
We should've told each other
What we couldn't tell elsewhere
Defeat adores you, on that you were right
A legacy passed on, a dream unfurled
How am I to let it go
We're going back and I worry
We're older, but I don't think we've changed
We're older, but I don't think we've changed
I never write or called you
And how I would have without fail
The estate was mortgaged, we had to move out
And all that's destructive came our way
We should've told each other
What we couldn't tell elsewhere
Defeat adores you, on that you were right
A legacy passed on, a dream unfurled
How am I to say I'm sorry
How am I to let it go
We're going back and I worry
We're older, but I don't think we've changed
We're older, but I don't think we've changed
The song Cincinnati by Ozark Henry is a reflective piece that takes the listener on a nostalgic journey through the regrets of an untended relationship. The first verse speaks of the missed opportunities to connect with someone important - a failure to write or call despite a desire to do so. The reason behind this failure is then revealed, the estate was mortgaged, and they had to move out, which brought with it destructive chaos. The second verse delves deeper into the regret and the opportunity lost. The line "We should have told each other, what we couldn't tell elsewhere," indicates that the two had secrets and issues that they were unable to express to anyone else, which could have been shared with each other but were left unspoken. The last two lines, "Defeat adores you, on that you were right. A legacy passed on, a dream unfurled," further elucidates the bitterness of regret in the song as the singer acknowledges defeat and the hopelessness of trying to win over someone who celebrates it.
The chorus of the song conveys the overwhelming feeling of regret and apprehension that comes with revisiting relationships that have been neglected for a long time. The repeated lines, "How am I to say I'm sorry, How am I to let it go," highlight the angst and confusion one goes through when trying to mend broken ties. The last two lines of the chorus, "We're older, but I don't think we've changed," acknowledge the inevitability of aging and the passage of time as a constant factor. It recognizes that while people may seem different on the outside after aging, the fundamental aspects that define them may not have changed.
Overall, the song Cincinnati by Ozark Henry can be interpreted as a poignant reflection on the missed opportunities and regret that comes with neglecting important relationships. It captures the sense of longing to connect with someone and the ensuing bitterness of defeat that can come with missed opportunities. The chorus conveys the overwhelming feeling of regret and confusion that come with trying to mend broken ties, while the closing lines of the chorus highlight the inevitability of aging and the recognition that while people may change over time, they may not change on a deep level.
Line by Line Meaning
I never write or called you
I failed to keep in touch with you through letters or phone calls
And how I would have without fail
I regret not having communicated with you and express my intention to do so frequently in the future
The estate was mortgaged, we had to move out
We were forced to vacate the property we owned because we had taken a loan against it
And all that's destructive came our way
We faced numerous challenges and trials that turned out to be harmful
We should've told each other
It would have been better if we had confided in each other
What we couldn't tell elsewhere
The things that we couldn't share with anyone else but each other
Defeat adores you, on that you were right
You were correct that you have a tendency to attract and accept failure
A legacy passed on, a dream unfurled
An inheritance was handed down to me and now my aspirations have been realized
How am I to say I'm sorry
I struggle with apologizing and admitting fault
How am I to let it go
I find it difficult to move on from past mistakes and regrets
We're going back and I worry
I'm concerned about returning to our former home and the memories associated with it
We're older, but I don't think we've changed
Despite the passage of time, I don't believe we've grown or transformed as individuals
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.