OG8 formed because its members felt overlooked and underappreciated, and instead of turning bitter, these industry veterans vowed to make music that entertained and healed. On Recognize, released October 9th, the band moves through Americana, rock, and country across eight tracks, anchored by the voice of Jaime Lynch and the riffs of founder and lead guitarist Troy Williver. Phil Baker is on bass, George Mitchell on Hammond organ, and Michael Underwood on drums and percussion. Recorded at Beat Farm Music and produced by Drew Canulette, Williver, and Lynch, the band says the songs run from resilience and loss to betrayal and self-worth.
“Finish Line” opens the album and comes with a great origin story. Williver, who grew up traveling the country and winning Quarter Midget Racing championships, says the whole song came together in about two minutes. C+C Music Factory’s “Everybody Dance Now” was stuck in his head, and around 2:52 a.m. he picked up his Les Paul and the guitar intro appeared, taking him back to his youth and his rowdy friends. The band calls it a soaring country-rock anthem about getting back up every time you’re knocked down, with a huge anthemic breakdown.
“Wide Open” is a lyrically eye-opening song (pun intended) even though it is simple, but it doesn’t have to be complicated to be an epiphany. Sometimes you are just ready to receive a message. The song starts by stating something that is relatable to everyone: the sun has risen countless times, but today something feels different. We’ve all experienced that. We all change all the time. The band describes it as a country-rock anthem about choosing to live fully after loss.
“I Hate You” has such a tonally gorgeous and melodic intro that it really sells the rest of the ballad. The band frames the song around betrayal, heartbreak, and speaking your truth, a response to toxic relationships of the past. “Return to Sender” is a gentler song; it’s very tender and heartfelt. According to the band, it is about losing a loved one too soon, wrestling with the unanswered questions and still wishing that person happiness. At four minutes and six seconds, it is the longest track on the record.
The rest of the album covers plenty of ground. “Susan B” is a country-pop story about self-worth, “Fame” blends blues and funk with a country feel while confronting the price of staying true to yourself, “Hold the Line” is about getting by paycheck to paycheck, and “Lasting Light” closes the record on a folky note of hope, the band says. All eight tracks fit into just under half an hour, which makes Recognize an easy one to sit through in a single listen.