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'
Graveyard Drug Party
Thee Oh Sees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They lifted and put their glasses down
They can't be bothered
Flights of fancy for horrible henchmen
They often lose control when the ship goes down
It's a bother
Bob and float freely upon the sea
It's a bother
The first verse of Thee Oh Sees' Graveyard Drug Party paints a vivid picture of a group of captains staying up late in the night, drinking and talking. The line "They lifted and put their glasses down" suggests that they're heavily immersed in their drinking, and perhaps using it as a way to forget about the troubles of their lives. The phrase "They can't be bothered" adds to this theme of escapism, implying that the captains are trying to avoid dealing with something they find daunting or overwhelming.
Moving to the second verse, the use of the phrase "flights of fancy" suggests that the captains are prone to daydreaming or getting lost in their own thoughts. However, the line "for horrible henchmen" suggests that their thoughts might take a darker turn, with perhaps violent or destructive fantasies. The mention of the ship going down adds to this sense of impending doom or danger.
Finally, the use of the phrase "Twilight's highways smashed into rubble" conjures up images of destruction and chaos. The mention of "Bob and float freely upon the sea" suggests that perhaps the captains have given up trying to control their own destinies, and are willing to let fate or the whims of the universe guide them. The repetition of the line "It's a bother" ties the whole song together, implying that the characters in the song are all struggling in some way, trying to find meaning and purpose in their lives, but constantly frustrated or discouraged by their circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
The captains stayed deep into the morning
The leaders of this group stayed up late and didn't sleep
They lifted and put their glasses down
They drank alcohol and set their glasses on a surface
They can't be bothered
They aren't concerned about anything
Flights of fancy for horrible henchmen
Fanciful thoughts for evil minions
They often lose control when the ship goes down
They frequently become unmanageable in difficult situations
It's a bother
It's an inconvenience
Twilight's highways smashed into rubble
The streets at dawn were destroyed
Bob and float freely upon the sea
Move aimlessly in the ocean
It's a bother
It's an inconvenience
Contributed by Hudson E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.