Thee Oh Sees are no doubt the lightest of his excursions, but in contrast to the rest of his resume one could surmise that there are significant reasons for the change.
Thee Oh Sees have a lo-fi electric-acoustic sound that's usually soaked in reverb, making it as if you can hear and see the exact room they recorded in. It creates a very distinct mood that seems to fit their style, lyrics, and melodies.
What most people focus on is that Mr. Dwyer is in the band. While it's certainly a notable quality, the recent band members bring so much more to the table. The earliest recordings are Dwyer's solo recordings, mostly single instrument/vocal ditties that you can hear him working out. They're an intimate portrait of John, but without the recent material, the portrait would simply be incomplete.
Thee Oh Sees don't subscribe to any one style.
With the addition of Brigid Dawson, Petey Dammit, and a rotating cast of drummers, the sound has grown into the landscape that one man couldn't create alone. Brigid's soprano voice brings an almost hauntingly sensitive aspect to the lyrics and melodies, while Petey and Mike's pounding and insistent backline (and additional drums from Lars Finberg of The Intelligence on recent recordings) complete the frame in its entirety. Their energetic, sweat-laden shows coupled with their prolific recording schedule has garnered them a growing, dedicated fan base.
The catalog that this band has put together is growing and growing, albeit under several different monikers, and several different labels.
in 2017 it was announced that the band would change its name to simply 'Oh Sees'
in November of 2019, the band announced that they would be changing their name yet again to simply 'Osees'
Contraption/Soul Desert
Thee Oh Sees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Paint out the lights
It stops all the feel ups
That go under the tables
Is that what they say?
And I am destination
A well cut appetite
A spread that has been wasted
That's all they say
So, pull your nets right in
Find a couch or table
And recreate the zero,
You suspect you are
Yup, that's what they say
The lyrics to Thee Oh Sees's song ContraptionSoul Desert seem to depict a scene in which an unnamed protagonist is seeking to escape from a particularly seedy and depraved setting, described as a place where people engage in "feel ups" beneath tables. The singer seems to feel that this scene is destructive or futile, and thus is attempting to "contraption" or block out the lights and sounds that surround them in order to better concentrate on their own goals. The lines "And I am destination / The jewel of a song / A well cut appetite / A spread that has been wasted" suggest that the singer sees themselves as a sort of artistic or poetic entity who is attempting to carve out their own path in a world that is often marked by disappointment or exhaustion. In the final stanza, the lyrics take on a more surreal tone, with the singer urging others to "recreate the zero," which seems to suggest an attempt to start fresh or forget the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Contraption every night
Every night is filled with strange and intricate inventions
Paint out the lights
Dull the vibrancy of the lights
It stops all the feel ups
Put an end to unspoken emotions and desires
That go under the tables
That are usually kept hidden or secretive
Is that what they say?
Is that the accepted truth?
And I am destination
I am the end goal
The jewel of a song
The most precious element of a musical composition
A well cut appetite
A refined and selective desire
A spread that has been wasted
A lavish display that has gone unnoticed or unappreciated
That's all they say
That's the only information available
So, pull your nets right in
Close off your search and take what you already have
Find a couch or table
Settle in and get comfortable
And recreate the zero,
Start over with a blank slate
You suspect you are
You're not sure but you have a feeling
Writer(s): John Peter Dwyer
Contributed by Elena O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.