As a genre, Americana music feels like a celebration of the culture. The sounds of ramblin’ guitars and marching drum beats are as iconic as they are upbeat, allowing many to muscle in a good time from the energy it brings. Eric Anders and Mark O’Bitz, however, harness that same energy to explore a different side of the culture that the music evokes. Their latest EP release, “Contrapasso,” kicks things off with a track that criticizes those who would follow their own demise with “High On Cult Life.”
The soft, ramblin’ guitar creates the perfect atmosphere for the powerful vocals of Eric Anders. His voice and lyrics are put front and center from the beginning which allows the listener to easily absorb the meaning in the lyrics. From the top, lines such as “he sees within you, oh, don’t ya feel like a hog that’s tied? You’re on the menu, whoa” hit hard and are a clear statement of intent on this track. Other lines, such as “and this is not new, no. All very deep and wide. Much bigger than you, whoa, and so says every sign” are just as powerful, especially when accompanied by the heavy turn the instrumental takes just passed the 1-minute mark. The simple percussion adds a sense of gravity to his words and immerses you into the message of thinking independently of those who would use you. “High On Cult Life” makes no qualms with what it is and is a strong track that kicks off the EP.
The light licks of the acoustic guitar wail and as Eric Anders’ longing vocals swell with emotion, they create a bluesy atmosphere for the track “Bells Toll.” With the banjo and guitar taking the instrumental lead, the track dives head first into their familiar Americana groove. The fleeting bass comes and goes to give the guitar and banjo a nice sense of depth when they begin to twang low. In the solo just past the 3-minute mark, both the bass and percussion can be felt as they sneak in behind the banjo for a few key moments to solidify the sound. This sound creates the perfect showcase for the lyrics, which come out swinging with “The auctioneer sets his price, rings his bell when it’s at a high” and “Each toll means a soul to buy. Can’t drown out all their bitter cries.” Shreds of ancient guilt can be felt through Anders’ words, making “Bells Toll” another track with a strong statement.
“This Haunted Love” is a track that kicks off with a bit more of a pulse. The drums march you in while the guitars and banjo pluck memorable riffs alongside Eric Anders’ vocals. Anders takes a much more melancholy tone with his performance on this personal track. It continues the trend of lyrics that come out swinging with hard-hitting lines such as “Bad religion, born of lovers who could never love” and “a child’s position. Always lookin’ up to what’s above” which are dripping with palpable emotion in Anders’ introspective tone. The personal lyrics and catchy instrumental that rises to the occasion when the track gets heavy make” “This Haunted Love” a stand-out.
The final track, “Sold By The River,” is another track that packs a powerful message. Strong lines with immediate impact such as “born in Kentucky, born as their chattel; she’s owned” and “How can it be that their Jesus can’t see what we know?” lead into others such as “oh, it doesn’t care or know, it just flows, this violence flows” that hit the heart hard with messages of the nature of cruelty. This emotional performance bleeds into the instrumental as well, with low guitar strums that are surrounded by deep violins and light piano notes to immerse the listener into its final, harrowing message.
“Contrapasso” is a powerful listen. The Americana EP is rich with strong sounds and even stronger lyrics and channels the spirit of the genre to examine the faults of the culture in the same way it celebrates it. It’s full of introspective criticism on past practices and cycles of violence and coercion of the American people, with “This Haunted Love” being a notably personal track. “Contrpasso” is full of passion and is a great choice for anyone looking for Americana with a different sort of edge.
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