Label: American
Released 2022
For forty-two years and counting, the long-running experimental Chicago group ONO has been committed to—as their mission statement says—exploring gospel's darkest conflicts, tragedies and premises as an experimental, noise, and industrial poetry performance band, charting a defiant course through a sea of seemingly disparate influences. One of few Black bands taking part in the ‘80s industrial and experimental underground, ONO’s first album Kate Cincinnati is a crucial document, showcasing them as a trio composed of bandleader P. Michael Grego, multi-instrumentalist Ric Graham, and enigmatic frontperson travis. Kate Cincinnati was originally self-released in 1982 in an edition of 300 tapes alongside an accompanying libretto/zine. The trio traverse a variety of sonic environments—travis' singing, bass, and lap steel move effortlessly between gospel, blues, opera and noise suggestions; Graham plays a maelstrom of music on horn and guitar; Grego quietly orchestrates arrangements while adding keyboards, electronics, and percussion. If this is your first time with ONO, hop on board and see why Steve Albini, Moor Mother, Dan Deacon, Black Midi, Algiers and countless other musicians and music lovers love them so. If you're already a fan, don't walk—run.
Track listing:
- Kate Cincinnati
- I Wonder Why
- Oppenheimer