OHO - Bricolage - CD/DVD

8 out of 10
From Mark Hughes (DPRP.NET) of Rotterdam, Netherlands on 9/24/2016.

Bricolage? The first 13 songs of the 20-track CD comprises previously unreleased material written and recorded between 1983 and 2008 with an additional 7 songs taken from the Oho, Up and Oriency Anthology releases. A further 12 songs are included on the DVD, only four of which are also featured on the CD, although the versions are substantially different. Despite the revolving musical cast, there is an admirable consistency in the sound of the band and although Hearn provides the majority of the lead vocals (along with Mary O'Connor), something like seven separate female singers contribute leads and harmonies, despite mostly never having met (ah the wonders of digital recording technology!). The sound of the band ranges from Fleetwood Mac and Clannad in their most successful incarnations to the more proggy material that bears slight resemblance to bands such as Mostly Autumn. And one of the vocalists, Kelly Grochmal, sounds remarkably like Jill Sobule, particularly on the song S/he. Although the instrumentation line-up of the band is the typical guitars, bass, keyboards and drums, a plethora of other instruments have been included in the arrangements. Violin, mandolin, sax, flute, theremin, tin whistle, harmonica, hammered dulcimer and even the odd appearance by the P-Funk Horns give a tremendous variety to the musical landscape. There is an underlying folky element to a lot of the material but the group are not adverse to taking things to a heavier level at times. However, the overwhelming strength of the material is the superb melodies that imbue every song, pick any at random and you will come across mature and compelling songs that are entrancing in their beauty. Time is like a lost October Project song (and just as good as anything on the two albums by that much-missed band) and songs such as Blue Fix and Angels are hard to forget once heard.
The DVD compiles footage from 1988 to 1992 and includes three promo videos, selections from the release party for the Oho album, a TV talent show performance and a selection from the 1990 Wammies award ceremony. The venues for the videos range from the Universal Amphitheater in Hollywood (where the band were supporting Cheap Trick) to a school classroom where O'Connor and Graboski provide an intimate acoustic performance to a group of young, enthusiastic and somewhat bewildered infants. As with the debut album, the material is of a progressive nature but of a slightly uncharacteristic nature. Notwithstanding that, the album is a fine collection of superior music that should find favor with music fans irrespective of if they like prog or not.

"A richly layered, organic sounding album!"
From Jon Neudorf of Washington, District of Columbia on 11/6/2010.

Formed in 1973, the enigmatic Baltimore band has been a fixture in the underground music scene for many years. Oho has had their share of difficulty having disbanded in 1977 and again shortly after they reformed in 1983, just after the release of their Roctronics EP in 1984. The remaining members Jay Graboski (guitars, keyboards, vocals) and David Reeve (drums, keyboards, vocals) soon added Steve Carr (bass) and Grace Hearn (vocals) and the band lived to see another day. That is a good thing because "Bricolage" is a very good album. Although the band does not release a lot of albums it is hard to complain once you hear the music. This is clearly a case of quality over quantity as the band has only recorded a handful of albums during the past thirty plus years. "Bricolage" consists of twenty tracks, the first thirteen of which have never been released and were recorded between 1983 and 2008. The last seven are listed as bonus tracks originally released on the (eponymously titled)OHO, Up and Oriency Anthology albums. "Bricolage" has the band going in a more folk-like direction rather than the psychedelic acid explorations of their earlier albums. Joining the core members are numerous female vocalists and various musicians adding instruments like violin, sax, flute, harmonica, theremin, mandolin and more. The result is a richly layered, organic sounding album that works on all levels. Electric and acoustic guitar are blended together almost perfectly and the female vocals are excellent throughout, including the background harmonies. The earworms keep coming track after track making this one of the most melodic albums I have heard this year. If you like bands like Mostly Autumn or early Fleetwood Mac you should find plenty to sink your teeth into here. Some of my favourites include the acoustic folk pop of "The Great Attractor" with its delicate flourishes of acoustic guitar, the musical build up in the quirky yet progressive "Time" with stellar acoustic and electric guitar and the Fleetwood Mac inspired "Dream Lifted Up" with spot on drum work and some ripping electric guitar. The rest of the CD is just as good and the sound quality is excellent throughout. The DVD features a photo gallery, CD credits and lyrics and concert footage from a variety of venues including the Universal Amphitheater in Hollywood, CA and the Wammy Awards (a Washington area awards show). The video footage is a nice addition. Also scattered throughout are snippets of interviews giving us more insight into this strange band. Although this CD is not as eclectic as some of their past releases I like the band's change in direction. The songs are more accessible while still retaining a progressive edge and the melodies are everywhere. Highly recommended.

"Tough lyrical musings backed by challenging music"
From Jeff Lindholm/Dirty Linen #141~May/June 2009 of Baltimore, Maryland on 3/31/2009.

Bricolage presents a retrospective of work recorded by Baltimore progressive-rock group OHO from 1983 to 2007. It's quite an impressive run. Jay Graboski & David Reeve are equal members in an amalgam of guitars, keyboards, saxes, violins, and more, with songs topped off by a revolving cast of forceful female vocalists. There's a lot to appreciate here for fans of dense, technical and swirling progressive rock music bands that aren't afraid to tackle tough lyrical musings backed by challenging music. Throughout the years, OHO's kept a consistent sound and vision, as evident in both the 20-track CD and 12-track DVD. Although the quality of some of the video tracks is a bit rough, the music overall stands up to that of the pros of prog rock.

"Energized, jubilant & brilliant in many different ways."
From Peter Thelen (Expose') of Newark, California on 12/26/2008.

"Baltimore based OHO doesn't put out a lot of product, but when they do, they do it right. This is hip, jangly folk-pop with a proggy feel; the compositions are superb, succinct and highly melodic, consisting of song-length ideas worked into intriguing arrangements in a number of styles--energized, jubilant and brilliant in many different ways. The vocalists have commanding and powerful voices; the instrumental arrangements employed are colorful and supportive featuring violin, sax/flute, the P-Funk Horns, acoustic, electric & steel guitars, keys, tin whistle, mandolins, hammer dulcimer, theremin, lush backing vocal harmonies and more. Folky at the core, their sound rocks, clearly born of modern vintage, fresh and vital, and not retro in any way. The 13 main tracks (those new to BRICOLAGE) are supplemented by 7 bonus cuts mostly pulled forward from their 1990 self-titled disc, 2003's UP and THE ORIENCY ANTHOLOGY. The DVD contains 12 songs--videos and live performances culled mostly from material on those earlier discs, though often with different arrangements. In all, BRICOLAGE is a superb entry point and comes highly recommended." (Expose' #36, Fall 2008)

Highly Recommended
From John Collinge, Progression Magazine of Lowell, Massachusetts on 9/18/2008.

Enigmatic Baltimore band OHO is back with this ambitious housecleaning of previously unreleased material from 1983-2008. The CD comprises 20 brand-new/reworked/recently-embellished tracks in the 3-to-5 minute range, all very melodic and featuring 7 different female singers most who never met each other (!), yet can be heard harmonizing with and accompanying one another via the miracle of recording technology. The songs are alternately charming and exuberant, emphasizing acoustic textures bolstered by keyboards, electric guitars, sax, flute, violin, harmonica, mandolin, etc. The most striking aspect of "Bricolage" is the sheer abundance of hook-laden melody, more than can be found on most albums regardless of genre. It's almost unfair to pick highlights (there are so many), but I defy anyone to get "Angels" out of their head after one listen. The 12-track DVD shares only 4 songs with the CD and is a treat, including live and video tracks from 1988-92 heavily featuring singers Grace Hearn & Mary O'Connor. There's an MTV clip, and the closing rendition of "The Secret" performed for pre-school kids is precious as can be. (15 1/2 out of 16 possible stars)