With veterans of groups like Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu and Edsel the band created a lot of anticipation when it debuted in 2008. Obits' sound is straightforward and mixes the clean riffs of rockabilly and surf with the grind of garage and punk. On 2009's I Blame You, the guitars have a precise, echoey tone, while the rhythm section doesn't try to be flashy --it doesn't need to be. The beat is solid, not busy; there's room to breath. Obits' recordings (I Blame You and a pair of singles) come across with a live, in-the-studio feel that carries over to a concert setting where the band shows its stuff.
The band is currently on tour to support its second full-length record, Moody, Standard and Poor, which comes out March 29, 2011 on Sub Pop. The new songs streaming from MySpace and as performed during this KDHX session keep the swagger for which the band is known. Check them out and you'll nod your head and probably curl your lips into a rock & roll grimace. That's always a good thing.
