Other Lives plays a highly stylized, very literate form of rock that is layered in melancholy and meticulously measured misery which is uncharacteristically moving for the genre. If John Steinbeck had been a rocker, he might have joined these lyrical Greats of Wrath.

Sound of Violence is supposedly inspired by a passage from Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, which explains the use of reverse World War II-era footage in the song’s corresponding video (a reference to the book’s flashbacks to the bombing of Dresden). The images present a stark contrast to the song’s soaring strings and sweeping soliloquy.

Hailing originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma, Other Lives assembled material for their fourth full-length release at their own Cooper Mountain Sound studio in rural Oregon. It was the perfect place to find the respite and rejuvenation needed to record the beautifully lush and ornate songs that would result in the ten-track collection, For Their Love.

Having met the band after one of their Midwest shows during their tour supporting their previous record, Rituals, I can attest that these are very modest and humble musicians who are dedicated to their craft. For true artistry in rock today, it’s hard to top Other Lives.