In their first full length album, Otis Shanty lean into jam-band mellowness, but is equally adept in spry funk tunes, assertive rock n’ roll, and gentle folk.
Otis Shanty’s album Suite 33 pictures the band’s former dorm on the cover, an ode to their collegiate beginnings. Formed in 2019 at Hamilton College, the band clearly identify with their campus roots, but their sound stretches beyond messy dorm room antics into a more sophisticated, polished realm. Each song in the album highlights different strong suits of Otis Shanty, whether that be their thoughtful melodies, dynamic shifting from rocking to balladeering, or the intricately layered instruments and vocals.
The first track sees the band putting their best foot forward. “Right In The Eyes” debut’s Sadye Bobbette’s sage voice and understated lyrics and keyboard playing, Brian Lynch’s appropriately lazy drumming, Julian Snyder’s suave bass lines, and reverb-laden guitar from Ryan DiLello and Jono Quinn. The result is a sound that retains everything great about a shoegaze dorm room jam, but is also endowed with a heightened musicality and attention to detail. The unsung hero of the track is the catchy and tasteful backing vocals which fill out the song superbly and proclaims Otis Shanty’s musicianship.
A couple songs later, “Smoking In The Shower” demonstrates the band’s aptitude in airtight funk numbers, but as this tune takes on a more spirited tone at first, the listener will notice the song turn into a contemplative slow-jam. “Smoking In The Shower” is one of their more lighthearted tunes, but like many of their songs, it still manages to cover a range of emotions as it unfolds. Perhaps a more fitting title would be “Overthinking In The Shower.” Further examples of the bands stylistic versatility come when you compare the songs “Pieces” and “Owl Song;” the first an overdriven blues guitar powerhouse, and the other a whispy folk lament. Singer Sadye Bobbette is a blues singer growling down in the gutter in “Pieces” and a gently lilting soprano in the upper registers in “Owl Song.”
The band keep it close to home in “I-90 West.” Any Bostonian driver will recognize that peculiarly reflective time heading down that unattractive stretch of road. In this ode to an interstate, through its jangly guitar, windows-down lyrics, and an immensely singable chorus, you’ll feel a strange affinity for the ugly American highway. “I’m ripping out my hair as I drive down I-90 west / I feel like you should know that I’m not doing my best / but I can’t fathom a way to lift this feeling from my chest / Maybe, maybe I should try less.”
Otis Shanty songs shift gears multiple times, often switching up the tempo, the dynamics, and the instrumentation over the course of a tune. When “Smoking In The Shower” turns from a brisk funk tune into an introspective slowburner, or how the ballad section of “I-90 West” leads into a rip-roaring organ solo, these are the moments which give the album a broad stylistic range. Fittingly, they describe themselves as an “alternative funk-infused band with rock and jam band influences.” Their interest and adeptness in all of those styles can sometimes result in some of the songs getting lost at sea for a brief moment while they decide which of the aforementioned styles to sail towards. However, the main takeaway from the way the songs are pieced together is that the band has no trouble voyaging across a multitude of musical waters and don’t simply drop anchor at any of them, endowing the music with a welcome unpredictability.
While their album cover and dorm room homage title leans into some good college nostalgia, Otis Shanty’s joyous curiosity, smooth musicianship, and genuinely fun and introspective songs prove that this band possesses a musical prowess that stretches far beyond the campus.