The Wake

When a record label like Kill Rock Stars puts out a sampler, it’s bound to please fans of just about any style of music. It’s also bound to be a little weird. Otis’ Opuses, featuring a staggering 22 tracks, is a retrospective of the label’s 2005 releases with a few new songs as well. From folk to hardcore, noise to electronica, Otis’ Opuses is at once schizophrenic and cohesive, jumping successfully between these genres without batting an eye.

The sampler features mainstays of the label like The Decemberists, Jeff Hanson, Deerhoof, and Harvey Danger along with lesser-known bands. But I was pleased to discover The Gossip and the Old Haunts. By incorporating so many sounds into one album, Kill Rock Stars proved not only the diversity of their acts, but also that they can win fans from many genres by giving them a taste of something they wouldn’t expect. Listening to “Cream and Bastards Rise” by Harvey Danger and “Cute Things” by Nedelle and Thom back to back seemed like a stretch at first, but its this sort of strange sequencing that makes this album work.

2006 should be an interesting year for the Kill Rock Stars label as The Decemberists bid farewell and head to Capitol Records. Nevertheless, Otis’ Opuses showcases the label’s potential for the year to come.