Oxygen Thief is Barry Dolan - Bristol resident, guitar abuser, and unrepentant rock addict.
Faced with the possibility of a total drought following the gradual demise of my previous band, I decided to branch out into solo acoustic warfare.
Why does the term "acoustic" always bring up the image of some moping "singer-songwriter", gently fingerpicking his way through yet another heartwrenching 3 minutes of emotional torment (in nut crunchingly delicate falsetto of course)?
Why does it always get relegated to background music for folky chats in dimly lit bars?
Why can't it be fun, exciting, and most of all...LOUD?
Why not indeed - together we can bring down the Blunts, Nutinis, and Morrissons (James, not Jim...or the supermarket for that matter...though I do prefer Asda)
2007 was pretty ace, with a few tours around the UK, a show in New York, and gigs supporting Frank Turner, Dave House, and Frank Turner (again), along with some very kind reviews (see below) and a whole bunch of new friends made.
2008 has been "the year of the gig" - 30 down (including supports with Malcolm Middleton, Manchester Orchestra, Chris T-T, and appearances at 2000 Trees and Dot To Dot festivals), and another 20 to go by the end of the year.
Reviews
"Feed A Cold, Starve A Fever"
3.5/5 - Punktastic.com
I don't need to write too much here because the music does the talking.
Barry Dolan is not only an all-round good egg, but a good singer/songwriter too. There's an honesty and passion in his writing and delivery that give a depth of feeling to his music missing from more famous artists. And while sometimes there's the odd bum note or slight cliche, there's a homemade DIY charm that carries it through. There's only 3 songs on this release but every one is solid and worthy of a listen.
Oxygen Thief may be far more fashionable, but as a band Oxygen Thief is one of the UK's best solo acoustic acts.
The Organ - DEMO OF THE WEEK OXYGEN THIEF - We’re in The Best Of Hands - Sometimes something just turns up and in a totally unexpected unanticipated understated way just really impresses. Something that makes everything feel good, that makes life and trawling through demos and dealing with bands and promoters and everything else just a little bit more worthwhile and inviting than it seemed to be yesterday. This fine six track demo just turned up and politely waited in the pile with all the others, took a day or two to reach the top, we know nothing of Bristol’s Oxygen Thief, so it just had to wait there with the other (yeah, we admit it, if something we’ve been anticipating or excited about turns up it gets to jump the queue, everything else waits in line). Oxygen thief wages solo acoustic warfare, something that, following the demise of his previous band, he clearly has to do. He says he sings loud and plays his guitar to within an inch of its life, I de believe him as well, there’s so much energy in here with the passion. Now it would be very lazy of us to throw in names like Frank Turner or Get Cape, does give you a vague idea of where we’re at through. You need to take a little time with Oxygen Thief, you need to let his energy and his craft seep in, this is subtle (and subtle is not overrated) and he’s not going to grab you by the collar and demand you attention from the off, let his intentions shine through though, after a couple of plays you’ll know it was right to do so. This CD has been occupying days of my listening time (while the pile waiting over there waiting grows bigger). Just really good, really positive, energetic committed DIY acoustic emotion and bite and just six fine songs. Thank you Oxygen Thief. He knows how to make things better, a simple formula to break the pattern...
Punktastic.com 3.5/5
We're In The Best Of Hands, Oxygen Thief
Barry Dolan is Oxygen Thief, a one-man acoustic project. Recorded DIY, this is a six-track EP which shows you don't need to have your guitars plugged in to have power and grab attention. While the production is a little rough around the edges, Barry's voice really does the talking - he's loud and aggressive and passionate and when your voice is the only other instrument after a guitar, it's certainly a very good thing. While each of the six tracks is solid, my only complaint would be the hooks perhaps are bot as strong as they could - and maybe should - be. 'Words From red card' is arguably the best song here, a really strong vocal performance which showcases an artist on the verge of good things. Solo acts are ten-a-penny but good ones are hard to find. Oxygen Thief is very much a good one.
7/10 review from WhisperinAndHollerin.com
"Oxygen Thief (myspace.com/oxygenthief) is the current solo project of 24 year-old Bristol resident Barry Dolan. “We’re In The Best Of Hands†is his new, self-released mini-album.
Dolan describes his music as “acoustic warfare†with the aim being to “sing LOUD†and play his guitar to “within an inch of its lifeâ€. This is an accurate description, as Dolan plays with a vigour verging on the brutal, but without forgetting the importance of writing good songs.
And there are definitely some very good songs here. The first track “Ours†is the ideal way to be introduced to Dolan’s work, with carefully used drumbeats supplementing the energetic guitars and vocals.
Track 2, “Owing†has an urgent, choppy riff running through it. The sound could be described as “acoustic hardcore/punkâ€. Indeed, if you want a phrase which categorises the album as a whole, that would be it...
“It’s Good But It’s Not Right†demonstrates that these songs not only have substance, but are accessible too.
Final track “FightSlashFlight†has a slightly Eastern tinge to it, and chorus enhanced by female backing vocals. It manages to be quite reminiscent of the fist in the air “gang chant†choruses that punk/hardcore songs often have.
The singer-songwriter has enjoyed somewhat of a renaissance in recent times, and while Dolan fits into this general classification, his music is a LONG way from the trite nonsense of your Blunts, Morrisons and Faulkners. What we have here is music, which nods more towards the inventive, meaningful and passionate work of a Frank Turner, Chris T-T or Malcolm Middleton.
It's acoustic Jim, but not as we know it...
Well worth investigating.
by Paul Found.
"Biting Lemons Before Sunrise" ep
click to read 4* review at Punktastic.com