huge-oyd-historian

[huge-oyd-historian]

[huge-oyd-historian]

Love the ending of 'they killed my uncle', always makes me laugh. "Don't suppose they gave you milk and cookies" is now my first response when people describe an onslaught of horrific events. Certified Huge Oyd Classic.

[huge-oyd-historian]

[huge-oyd-historian]

[huge-oyd-historian]

Huge Oyd has been digitalised! Soundcloud available here.

With sincerity,

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

For our watcher.

With sincerity,

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

Huge Oyd songs often explore traumacore. Perhaps this is why I'm so drawn to the work. Firstly, the discussion in 'dr wotzit' about the titular character's invasion into the performer's space (and the song being explicitly about mental health struggles) explores how the traumatised lack privacy. Their trauma is always on show for others to see, whether that's through their reactions or emotional expressions. The line "he thought he'd take a piss as well" describing the invasiveness of being committed to a psychiatric hospital - this a gesture we would be unbothered by if it were to happen in our own home. A desperate cry to find some privacy.

In 'algeria' the singer explores the theme of invasion once again with "that is how the French presence is inside my body". The song seems to consistently relate to discussion on sexual abuse, particularly with the depictions of "violating a code of movement", "corruption", and the line "my uncle is murmuring lovethings in English". The speaker is faced with finding male expressions of love unrelatable and addresses a violence which is fundamental to the relationship between men and women. It is interesting how the vocalist uses different voices: one that is child-like and one that is demonic. This is a representation of how the inner child and the inner demon have a relationship with one another. When discussing the trauma itself, she uses a demonic voice, eliciting fear within the listener. However, when discussing other aspects of the surroundings, she speaks like a child. There is an image of this child-like self being tainted by trauma. This further alludes to a reconciling of different identities - the child within us and the traumatised adult, exploring the greater topic of Huge Oyd's work. The speaker explores her primitive feelings within this song.

Until next time,

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

Always wonder whether the lyric in 'algeria' is "got into the body of my brother" or "cut into the body of my brother". The EP title suggests it's "got", but I definitely hear "cut".

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

'algeria' is interesting for the respect it gives to men. The speaker states the "trespassing of malespace", a fundamental space women must give to men in order to express their masculinity. This is unusual for a female speaker in the modern era, causing me to set Huge Oyd in the period of the early 2000s. If women had this respect for male spaces now... However, her discussions of lesbian identity certainly contribute to the male loneliness epidemic. What's so wrong with men?

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

Lesbianism seems a particularly prevalent theme in the songs across both early EPs. Further, there is an investigation in female characters across the songs by both the female and male singer. This is relevant largely in safia jane.

There is a distinctive difference, however, in the depictions of love performed by the singers. 'safia had a little lamb' is rather demeaning of the singer who states "my true companion is Safia, we eat together, we teach at the same university, we seek each other's advice and opinion, it is Safia who I describe my life to", with the cliche of the tune 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'. This alludes to the diminishing of lesbian relationships, particularly because these lines are followed by the insulting remark "i don't have any female friends". The female singer truly worships her love interest and frankly addresses the fact she hospitalised her for drug addiction. This is the moment at which her vocal range reaches the highest notes of its register, almost resembling a cry or a scream. This is a considerately performed song about the silencing inherent to lesbian identities, no matter how vocal the individual is about her lesbianism. I also notice the final lyric is cut on "she came out", evidencing the silencing of the lesbian identity. A limitation in perceived expression which diminishes the importance of love.

Significantly, there is also a rather humorous description of a man with "rice in his pockets", suggesting a ridiculousness to the male identity. The song is layered with irony, perhaps suggesting a juvenile relationship between two women.

I won't go into much detail about 'The Wife A-Lost' (performed by female speaker) as the lyrics are largely incoherent. However, this is a poem about loss. It is also read in an unusual accent, again shadowing the significance of Sapphic identities. The expression of love in both songs explores an awareness of how these identities are perceived by others: as unserious, unusual, and unrelatable. Again, the singer is very honouring, although the poem is written from the male perspective.

In 'jane', the singer (male) has to declare his words are that of love: "these are my love words Janey". He is unable to stay on the topic of Janey, instead mentioning a second character, Nancy, who suggests love is irrelevant to the process of conception. He sings "I can't help it", as though discussion of another woman is unpreventable, biological, even. I perhaps respect this perspective on love because there is a biology to male expressions of love - we are programmed to reproduce as much as possible. In comparison, 'safia had a little lamb' is rather juvenile, and 'jane' more honest. The track ends with spoken words "No one can hurt me as much as you can Jane / Honey, I'm stone in love with you/ Since we ever swapped sex looks you blew me away / My happiest thing, Jane, is you". The singer depicts how sex is deeply relevant to romantic relationships. I note the euphemism on "you blew me away", suggesting copulation is a fundamental intimacy to any relationship. This contrasts 'safia', with it's rather innocent depiction of a relationship. However, this could also cover a greater theme about the desexualisation of lesbian relationships, and therefore the failure to accurately perceive the identity.

The exploration of female identity in the tracks depicts the alternative mindsets men and women have about women. The girl respectfully discusses women, neglecting the carnal side, de-objectifying women. The man discusses the nature of masculinity and finds evidence for why lust is sometimes a greater force than love.

Enjoy the audios,

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

I am poison in the water

[huge-oyd-historian]

[huge-oyd-historian]

I've been listening closely over the past week to the songs on safia jane, the second EP. I have noticed both EPs with the shoelace ketamine rock/fobkey punk sound have a specific theme in each. i don't know my love words cecilia got into the body of my brother has a distinct theme of locations, while safia jane is about names, both with an undercurrent of identity.

I am interested in identity, covered in 'dr wotzit' as I've discussed in a previous post. 'dr wotzit' raises a question about the fragmenting of identities - a singular person performs as an individual suffering from split personality disorder. The song is not about the identity of the singer, instead questioning the characters she perceives around her (is she schizo?). The title being the final narrative moment of the song is an unusual choice, particularly because the lyrical content is audible. Unusual for H.O. The audience is demanded to question the relevance of the characters around the performer. The discussion of dr wotzit is aggressive in nature - his presence an invasion into, what appears, a private space. Both characters are depicted with aggressive tendencies.

Aggression becomes a precursor into this discussion of identities within the music. This primitive depiction of rage is a symbol of how the bestial human emotions are a fundamental aspect of identity. Expressions of sheer rage are the sincerest experiences of humanity, as is love in songs 'safia had a little lamb' and 'jane'. 'jane' interestingly interweaves rage and love in a singular song, these fundamental aspects of identity interlocking with one another to depict the deepest expressions of personal identity. Our reactions to anger and love define us.

The singers acting throughout each song further expresses the differentiation of individual identities. The one consistent theme is the rumbling nature of the accompaniment to these songs - the final releases in each song a symbol of the impossibility of suppressing emotion sufficiently. Additionally, in i don't know my love words cecilia got into the body of my brother, the songs are largely spoken word rather than sung, apart from 'dr wotzit'. It seems undeniable the singing has been chosen in the song because it depicts the multiple facets of a split personality. Meanwhile, safia jane uses more cliched tunes ironically to depict how limited human expression can be.

Expression as a defining feature of identity appears the most significant theme across all their work. This is then transmuted in later EPs ergo, spine and unbound coptic orgasm with the free improvisations, musically exploring the extent of expression. I am intrigued by what caused the shift between written songs for band and the free improvisation. Perhaps it was natural as the theme across all works is expression as a facet of identity.

Apologies for the delay in posts recently, I have been mulling over some of the analysis of these tracks for some time.

Until next time,

J.

[huge-oyd-historian]

[huge-oyd-historian]

one day i’ll get out of this town