Rating: NNNN
Northern Ontario indie alt-country rockers Ox invoke the slacker spirit of Neil Young on tUCo, a soundtrack to a film (by Sudbury-based filmmaker John Milne) that has yet to be made.
It’s about a band called tUCo, who are slowly making their way west on the Trans Canada highway. Though the riffs are 70s-inspired, singer/songwriter Mark Browning’s lyrics are more contemporary than that, referencing indie-rock radio and getting stoned in cars.
The vehicle is in no hurry – in fact, some songs sound deliberately slowed down. But it’s a fun and fuzzy ride, and Fred Squire, Nathan Lawr and Kate Maki tag along.
Browning’s Korg sounds great in this context, and Max Myth’s melodica solo on Young cover Out On The Weekend seems like it’s always been there. Start there, or with swaying story song Nico.
Top track: Out On The Weekend
Ox play the Cameron House Tuesday (December 13).
