[ot-caption title=”The Oh Hellos new album, Wormwood, is available now.”]

Writing and recording in their cluttered bedroom, with love and passion, American folk rock duo, Tyler and Maggie Heath, introduced The Oh Hellos to the world. This independent band consisting of a brother and sister from Texas recently released their second album Dear Wormwood this past fall. Both of the band’s albums, including their 2012 self-titled EP, Through the Deep, Dark Valley, present the duo’s ability to express the truth of inner feelings. Their first album, consisting of heartache and confusion, yet containing persistence, displays the veracity of love’s struggles.

In the band’s sophomore album, Dear Wormwood, the siblings present a collection of music that is inspired by the stories of C.S. Lewis’ literary masterpiece, The Screwptape Letters. The album tells the story of an abusive relationship through the eyes of the protagonist. Through the letters written to the antagonist from the victim, we can see and hear the dark inspiration that fuels the euphonic music, yet plagues the mind and heart. The album presents a sense of differing emotions, at times affectionate and gentle, yet also resentful and apprehensive. The album accurately captures the true emotions that encompass the conception of love. The seemingly harmonious melodies counteract the sometimes dark lyrics, exemplifying the idea of the two sides of love.

The new album presents a sense of overwhelming beauty that somehow triumphs the apparent darkness in certain songs. The album contains a mix of upbeat folk tunes, such as “Solider, Poet, King”, “Bitter Water”, and “This Will End” (three of my absolute favorites), along with deep, dark songs, including “There Beneath” and of course, “Dear Wormword”. I really love this album. If you like folk music, I think this album is a true masterpiece. It truly defines the idea of music: a combination of beautiful sound with meaningful poetry.