Other Human Creativity – The Dread Crew of Oddwood
“The Dread Crew of Oddwood’s story begins in a time of endless bounty and exploration. Our protagonist, Wolfbeard O’Brady, is a strong-willed and gradually balding lad of fifteen winters. In order to escape the Great Whiskey Famine of 1735, he leaves Ireland in an empty barrel, in search of more booze. After many moons drifting the seas, he washes ashore in Germany and rolls to the nearest city.”
The rest is an amazing tale of pillage and plunder and the lust for a “well tended” life through the years. Comrades were lost along the way, new seafaring souls have come on board. Currently featuring Captain Wolfbeard O’Brady on accordion and whistles, Riven Rahl on toy piano, Rouba Juba on mandolin and steel-string guitar, Stark Cordwain on Irish bouzouki and tin whistle, Deckard Cordwain on ukulele, Smithy Crow on upright bass, and Gunmaster Castle on a mini drum contraption and steel pans, these lads have the energy and talents to keep on churning out incredibly interesting stuff.
The Dread Crew has coined the “Heavy Mahogany” musical genre label (thus the name of their latest CD), and with good reason. They have amassed an applaudable sized following since their beginnings back in 2008. They have received local and national radio play, and have performed live at some of the biggest fairs in the nation.
Being introduced to their band last year via the Renaissance and Pirate Faire circuits, their music and live shows were incredibly rough around the edges. With handfuls of those who caught the shows at one place or another, it seemed to be a situation of people either really loving The Dread Crew, or really not. They must have been working on the unplugged shows, because their recent gig running with the Southern California Renaissance Faire has brought out a more comprehensible show experience. There have been some people in the “really not” category that have happily changed over since the beginning of the Faire. If you have found yourself in that same preference, it’d be good to give them another chance when you can. Make sure that it’s on the NC-17 stage.
As always, The Dread Crew puts out an enormous amount of energy. It’s being channeled into a good mix of audience participation, pleasure in their music, and rum-drenched-head-banging-hair-flinging.
Probably the best example of their energies has been the release of their latest CD, “Heavy Mahogany”. Right off the bat, it’s worth buying it. The CD case alone is chock full of eye-candy-story-artwork and lyrics.
The first track brings in a powerful start with “Meat Bread and Wine”, a song of camaraderie and pleasures in life, along with a toast to living another year and having another drink. This song is the first teasing bit into the harmonies that the gents are capable of on this album. At the end of the song, the CD paused for the next track, and the thought of “Holy crap, this shit is good” (verbatim) came into the brain.
Æirship Of Doom is a fantastically imaginative story, while keeping true to the roughened piratical nature. The harmonies come in and add a great effect to the chorus to the point of being catchy enough to have it stuck in the head for hours after.
Just a side note, at this point, one hopes that any who have prejudices regarding accordions has since been swayed. Yes, Wolfbeard’s accordion rocks this album.
Moving on through the songs, Brothel Royale! is a plethora of whores here/there/everywhere, dirty lyrics and enticing rhymes. Or perhaps it’s enticing lyrics and dirty rhymes.
If you’re looking for a harder sound, the song Berserker is for you. It brings out the deep, dark depths of the non-Disney’fied pirate soul.
The end of the album rounds itself out nicely with a Spanish undead uprising (Flesh Breakfast), Serpents Feast, and a brilliant mix of punk and celtic stylings in the Seafarers Medley.
Immortal Souls. As with anyone who has a musical or other artistic ambition, there’s the urge for the music to get out into the cosmos. Through this song, the soul of The Dread Crew of Oddwood, with its sea shanties, adventures, and legends will continue to get tossed about through the eternities where they will forever live on.
All in all, this album is an amazing collection of skills from some extremely talented guys. The lyrics embrace so much of pirate lore, the music can be enthralling and sometimes slightly hypnotic, and it’s apparent that a lot of heart, sweat, and blood went into this.
In continuing with keeping their fan base entertained, their website (CLICK HERE) is full of things to keep your eyes satiated for hours. Everything from the “About” story being read aloud as an audio book by Wolfbeard himself, to lyrics on past albums, shows and past shows, and their marketplace (where you can just so happen to purchase the newest album, “Heavy Mahogany”, along with other of their merch). If you’re out at the So. California Renaissance Faire, they have most of their stuff available for sale onsite.
The last album released had the first track “Queen’s Decree”. They turned out a brilliantly constructed music video. Check it out here! The ending will even fulfill a bit more of the nerd-side. Beware, gratuitous puppet blood.
WANT TO SEE MORE PICTURES?
Recently, The Dread Crew of Oddwood provided their taste buds for this week’s recipe, Rum Runner’s Trifle. They approved of it, and let the lowly messengers escape unharmed. Click here to view the recipe!
