They say it’s never too late to say you’re sorry, but there are certain limitations—like, mortality, for instance—that do make apologizing more challenging. “Oh Brother,” the new single from North of Nowhere is an apology, delivered as a straight-ahead rock song, from one brother to another for the things they didn’t get quite right during their lifetime.
“Oh Brother” is a deeply personal song. Despite opening with a few punchy chords that might have been on loan from Blink-182, North of Nowhere quickly pivot into some serious subject matter from frontman Dylan Ellis.
“I wrote this song shortly after my oldest brother’s funeral,” says Ellis. “I spoke my version of an open apology to the universe at the altar during the service. That ended up being a eulogy for a man who lived hard and fast, and how it all made sense when he passed away.”
Getting along with your siblings isn’t always a guarantee and while you can hope that everything you’ve shared—from a childhood to genetics— will mellow a challenging relationship over time, not everyone gets that opportunity.
“Foolish pride when brothers feud / A bottle changed the things we do / I guess we’ll wait to sort this out,” sings Ellis about the struggles he had with his own brother.
“Dylan has a great way of singing about his own experiences and making them relatable,” says Terry Wood, the band’s bass player. “For me, the lyrics hit hard because I’ve been that guy who stared at himself in the mirror and hated the version I was looking back at. This album served as a platform for our anger, frustration, hopefulness, determination, and with that we found solace. There’s nothing to be faked, this is us.”
“I hope people hear this song and immediately want to call their brother, or anybody, and just let them know they love them,” adds bandmate Matt Dorey.
“Oh Brother” appears on North of Nowhere’s upcoming EP, First, which is expected to be released on December 18, 2021.