February 4, 2005 | Posted by David B. at 4:19 PM

I got no wish to wake in the morning

Osei Essed

Talk about an aptly-named band. The Woes project a feeling of melancholy that you feel might seep into your very being. To me it sounds like a Minnesota winter, though the band is from New York City and in Minneapolis right now it's 52 degrees out. But still - stark, soulful, genuine. See for yourself:

That's All, Goodnight

To compare lead singer Osei Essed to Tom Waits is probably the least original thing I could write, but it's so obvious. And this isn't a bad thing, either; like Waits' ramshackle dirges and ballads, Track 2 rattles along and submerges you. (I'd even venture to say Essed's vocals sound like, uh, early Elton John. I know, I know, that's fucking ridiculous. It's a compliment, though, and listen for it.)
I love this band. You could love them, and see them live - The Woes are playing tonight (2/4) at 7 p.m. Terra Blues in NYC, which is at 149 Bleecker (at LaGuardia and Thompson). I should add that their bass player tonight is Fred Thomas, bass player from James Brown's JBs. "WTF?" you're saying, though you may actually be saying the words and not the letters. Awesome, right? Don't pass this up.
I may be offering some more tracks in the future, but for now, see them live and listen to "That's All, Goodnight" over and over again.

Comments

More like Tom Waits meets Bob Dylan in a dark mississipi alley, and Dylan kicks Wait's ass.

Seriously, these guys are 10x more raw and intense live than any recording could capture. If you can make it definitely check them out.

Posted by: mrenoch at February 4, 2005 4:51 PM

What do you call this? Twisted alt-country? Soul music for the hurting? I don't know but I was loving the track.

Posted by: P Funk at February 4, 2005 6:45 PM

Wow. When this started up, I thought that if it just continued like this for the duration, I'd still be mightily impressed. Then it shifted and changed and surprised me even more. Fantastic.

Posted by: Peter at February 5, 2005 8:31 AM

BTW - the name of the track is "That's All Goodnight" (and the show was amazing).

Posted by: mrenoch at February 5, 2005 1:20 PM

hey, thanks for all the good things you guys are saying. the name of the track is "that's all, goodnight"

Posted by: osei essed at February 5, 2005 2:12 PM

wow. i really like this song. thanks for putting it up.

Posted by: blake at February 5, 2005 2:48 PM

Hey guys. Hearing the Elton John/Bleeker Street references, makes me think of something. I may be a newbie/neophyte/non-new yorker, but if you get a chance to check out a guy and his band: ROSS COPPERMAN, I suggest you do. i saw him at the bitter end on bleeker a couple days after new years, and he was amazing. just hit up his website and he's got a link to a couple of his tunes on pure volume. i think if you check it out, you won't regret it.

Posted by: Teggy at February 5, 2005 10:46 PM

Amazing tune! Do they have a website? Wheren can I buy the ep? Is there an album?

Posted by: rhineman at February 6, 2005 2:15 PM

we do not have a website as yet.
if you would like a cd, write me: oseiessed@yahoo.com

Posted by: osei essed at February 6, 2005 8:07 PM
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