Wes McDonald AKA Terry Ohms has a new album on the way called Shmo Yertyr and he is from Alabama. Birmingham, AL. Stop thinking what you’re thinking! Stop the geo stereotyper in your head for a minute. Stop the natural flow of impressional images of fake Christian politicians, crooked thinkers, low shurkers, backward drawlers and deep fried gentrifiers. No no no. Terry Ohms ain’t that kind of grifter. There are some damn fine people in Alabama. As there are some damn fine musicians under the twangy cloud cover in Birmingham. They’re just not talked about as much as they should be. And this isn’t an Americana album that Terry is trying to sooth you with. This isn’t pastoral lollygag. It’s something else . . .
Shmo Yertyr is Terry Ohms’ newest LP of a 20-plus-year history releasing albums that have an amusing multiple personality, including but not limited to, indie rockers, Americana clamors, and electronic slammers with light and dark and crazy sneaking through the windows of this weirdly accessible artist.
“Oh OK, I got it. This is some wacky guy with a keyboard and a computer that throws in ironic country licks where they shouldn’t be.”
Nope. These are heartfelt songs presented and sung in an interesting way. Not really country at all. Southern? Yes. That’s where it comes from. How could it not be? It’s fun, but not in a cut-off jeans kind of way. It’s more like the fun you’d have in a tutu and a trucker hat. You might dance. You might cry. You might laugh. You might freak out.
This is the 11th Terry Ohms album from Wes McDonald. And the fourth in three years. His past lives include being the frontman for the much lauded Birmingham rock band, Vulture Whale and twangy punks, The Ohms (Athens, GA). When Wes isn’t doing Terry stuff these days, he is playing the drums in indie psych band, People Years, The Blips and Les Nuby’s band.
Today Glide is excited to premiere Ohms’ new tune “I Only Listen To The Power Station,” a clear standout on the new album. Hitting out of the gate with a cool indie rock guitar-groove, the song finds Ohms tapping into his political side as he rails against the media and polarization. His laid back vocals are like a cranked up Kurt Vile with a punk edge, which is further enhanced by Dinosaur Jr. style guitar jams and a thumping bassline to give the song an overall post-punk meets slacker rock edge.
Terry Ohms describes the inspiration behind the song:
“Man, I don’t generally like political music and there’s nothing that ruins a live show for me like a band spouting politics between songs. But this song is fucking political. I know too many people who have been brainwashed by Fox “News” and the like. Just a bunch of heartless bastards spinning the story so you hate what they hate. 24/7 deception spewing from well-dressed and well-spoken demons. And A LOT of people are just eating it up and thinking what they are told to think, without actually thinking it through. Fuck Rupert Murdoch, fuck Tucker Carlson, fuck Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and all those instruments of evil and their goddamn power stations. That’s what this song is about. Also, it’s a toe tapper.”
LISTEN:
Terry Ohms’ new LP Shmo Yertyr is out April 22nd via Mind Blow Records. His new single “I Only Listen To The Power Station” will be available on DSPs Friday April 1st.
