Ohtis is an American

country rock Country rock is a genre of music which fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal s ...

band from

Normal, Illinois Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 52,736. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, and Illinois' seventh most ...

. Their debut album ''Curve of Earth'' was released in 2019.

History

Singer-songwriter Sam Swinson formed the band with Adam Pressley while in high school; they were later joined by multi-instrumentalist Nate Hahn. Despite initial popularity in and around

, and several

do-it-yourself "Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...

releases, Swinson's

heroin addiction Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a substance use disorder characterized by cravings for opioids, continued use despite physical and/or psychological deterioration, increased tolerance with use, and withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing opioids. Op ...

and recovery caused the band to disintegrate. The band were subsequently mostly inactive from 2009 to 2016.

''If This Country Had a Heart, That’s Where I Was Born'' (2008)

''If This Country Had a Heart, That’s Where I Was Born'' was

self-released Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pr ...

in 2008. Reviewing the album for ''

Tiny Mix Tapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, a ...

'', Laura Witkowski likened it to "

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

putting his spin on late-’70s-era

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talkin ...

backed by a commune of accomplished hippie musicians", noted its theme of religious uncertainty, and described Swinson's songwriting as that of "a deep thinker with a sharp, wry wit."

''Curve of Earth'' (2019)

Ohtis' debut album ''Curve of Earth'' was released on March 29, 2019, 15 years after the band was first formed. The songs were written while Swinson was in

drug rehabilitation Drug rehabilitation is the process of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and street drugs such as cannabis, cocaine, heroin or amphetamines. The general inte ...

and during

relapse In internal medicine, relapse or recidivism is a recurrence of a past (typically medical) condition. For example, multiple sclerosis and malaria often exhibit peaks of activity and sometimes very long periods of dormancy, followed by relapse or r ...

, and recorded after Swinson contacted Pressley and Hahn as part of a

twelve-step program Twelve-step programs are international mutual aid programs supporting recovery from substance addictions, behavioral addictions and compulsions. Developed in the 1930s, the first twelve-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), aided its members ...

. The album also draws on religious themes, inspired by Swinson's early life spent in a

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...

. Chris Conaton of ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'' described the album as characterised by "an unusual musical variety in the songs that makes it an intriguing listening experience" and praised "Swinson's raw honesty and the band's musical creativity". Marcy Donelson of ''

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' noted that despite the album's subject matter, its "lyrics are delivered throughout the album with a relaxed, affable tone befitting the group's twangy, sauntering indie rock", and characterized the album as "30-minute set that plays like a character-centered short story." In a five-star review in ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'', Jordan Bassett wrote that "These eight country songs course with pain and regret, although there’s a strong seam of hope and optimism too." Bassett praised "Black Blood" and concluded that the album "contain the chaos of addiction, crystallising mistakes into something much more beautiful. The result is extraordinary and life-affirming." George O'Brien of ''

London in Stereo ''London in Stereo'' was a print and online magazine offering gig listings, interviews, reviews, and live music listings for London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under ...

'' wrote that the album "paints a picture of hope, through examining the bleakest moments", while Woody Delaney of ''

Loud and Quiet ''Loud and Quiet'' is a British bi-monthly music magazine that focuses on new music from underground indie, alternative, electronic and hip hop artists. History and profile The magazine was founded in January 2005 by Stuart Stubbs as a home-print ...

'' described it as having an "aura that’s melancholic yet comforting". Reviewing the album in ''

The Line of Best Fit ''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music. It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...

'', Evan Lilly wrote that "''Curve of Earth'' is an intimate recollection that's meant to illuminate and heal our spirits, reminding us that even in dark times, light somehow manages to always pass through."

References

{{reflist

External links

Official website
American alternative country groups American country rock groups Musical groups from Illinois Musical groups established in the 2000s