The history of North Texas self-described "rad-dirt" band Oil Boom can be traced back to a simply worded Craigslist “Musicians Wanted” ad, placed at the tail end of 2009. Whereas most such ads tend to lead to uncomfortable pairings of disparate influences and stylistic aesthetics, guitarist Ryan Taylor (formerly of Oklahoma City blues-rock stalwarts The Rounders) and St. Louis expatriate drummer Dugan Connors, proved the exception to the rule, bonding over their mutual affection for lo-fi blues and 60s garage rock. “We had our first jam on Dec. 31st, 2009,” says Taylor. “So we figured that was some kind of omen to continue into the next decade, pretty much solely so we could bring it up now and look like magical soothsayers.” Since that fateful decade closeout jam, the group has been hard at work crafting ear-catching melodies and mind-bending arrangements, originally in the form of their first EP, Black Waxy, produced by Grammy award winning engineer Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, The Walkmen).

With the departure of original lead singer Brian Whitten in the summer of 2011 and the arrival of bassist Steve Steward (founding member of Ft. Worth stoner rock bands Epic Ruins and Vorvon) the group’s sound expanded dramatically and their live shows developed a reputation for consistent audience head-turning. As an added bonus, Taylor’s subsequent commandeering of vocal duties injected his songs with a generous dose of self-deprecating wit. Building on that momentum, a second EP, Gold Yeller, arrived in 2012, which has garnered considerable airplay and spawned a legitimate radio mainstay in “The Great American Shakedown.” In August of 2013, the group released a 7” single, “45 Revolutions Per Minute”, both a play on the speed of the record itself and a metaphor for losing one's mind. This time around the group enlisted friend/collaborator and also Grammy award winning engineer Jordan "Son of Stan" Richardson (Ben Harper/Charlie Musselwhite, The Longshots) to helm the control board. To date, "45 Revolutions Per Minute" has appeared in three television shows (Franklin and Bash, Unforgettable and Rectify), though it has yet to crack local public access broadcasts.

With their latest color-coded debut release, Red Metal, Oil Boom builds on their predilection for experimentation and genre bending playfulness. From the hook-heavy indie pulse of The Sneak Tip and Röckenröül to psych-blues barnburners like Scumsucker and Slow Going Down, there are no shortage of left turns and unexpected thrills on the group's first full-length offering. “I feel like with this record, we really made an effort to throw some folks for a loop -- most of all ourselves,” explains drummer Connors. "We've never really been interested in being known as any one type of band." The return of ace engineer Jordan Richardson to the mixing board proved instrumental in helping the group venture off into uncharted sonic territory. "Jordan really helped us get where we wanted to go musically. I'm not sure where that is exactly," deadpans Taylor, "But he got us there. And it's pretty nice actually. They even have complimentary drinks." Red Metal is released today.