- Your Beauty Offends Me Oats 3:25
Bringing an original modern alternative rock sound, the band Oats is readying its debut independent EP release while simultaneously making a splash in the Atlanta area. Comprised of Brian Nicolatos, Rob Vincent, and Oats (Todd Olsen), the group’s sound is reminiscent of early Foo Fighters and Weezer, with flavors of The Police, The Clash, and The Cure.
The Georgia music scene is familiar territory for Olsen, the band’s founder, namesake (based on his middle school nickname), singer and primary songwriter, who cut his teeth performing in his previous band, The Waiting. That group, which had five number one national radio singles, gave him the opportunity to perform in front of hundreds of thousands of people on tours across the US, sharing the stage with Platinum-selling bands such as Switchfoot, Jars of Clay and another successful Georgia band Third Day.
After a successful run, The Waiting disbanded to allow members to tend to family matters and pursue other interests. Olsen, however, still had a desire to create. So, when it came time to start over, it was only natural to birth it in that same music community that felt like family.
“The local musicians here in the Atlanta area are so supportive of each other,” Olsen says. “Not only do they share encouragement and camaraderie, they frequently just connect with each other and play off-the-cuff. It’s a beautiful thing.”
It was there that Olsen encountered Nicolatos. After later adding Vincent, introduced through mutual friends, Oats was a rounded rock trio ready to make music.
“I couldn’t dream of a better band to be a part of,” Olsen says. “These guys are super talented, and we have great chemistry. I think that’s evident to everyone who sees our live shows.”
The songs of Oats center on relationships and familiar themes of love and loss, often inserting quotes from popular films or even classic literature. Though the lyrics are catchy and sometimes simple and accessible, they also frequently carry a double meaning meant to connect to listeners hoping for music that perfectly connects with their own feelings.
“Music is an emotional common denominator,” Olsen says. “It helps people connect on a deeper level and provides an instant sense of community.”
The group’s songs are already resonating with live audiences ahead of the debut recording, slated for 2020. “A Different Road” chronicles the members’ journey toward music while watching others choose more mainstream callings. “All Inside Your Head” is a clever take on how the brain processes the concept of love. The positive anthem “Tried and Failed” champions the underdogs who don’t always win but always give their all.
“It’s a lament as well as an encouragement to dig deep, find your bliss and keep going,” Olsen explains. “It’s a bit of a phoenix metaphor. It was written at the watershed between the ashes and rising again.”
Olsen, with his rich musical experience on both local and national stages, hopes that ultimately the band will offer a bit of “payback” for listeners of multiple generations.
“What Oats is trying to do is bring everyone together in one musical moment so they can be with friends—old and new—and be taken away by the music, so that they forget about the challenges of life for a while,” Olsen explains. “That’s what we’ve always loved about music, so that’s what we’re trying to do for others.”
SOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
https://www.oatsrock.com
https://www.facebook.com/oatsrock
https://www.youtube.com/oatsrock
