Oxford Collapse

“Of all the songs we did, I think the Dave Matthews cover turned out the best.”

That’s Oxford Collapse singer-guitarist Mike Pace on the fruits of a recording session conducted in Florida with Emperor X’s Chad Matheny. The session’s original purpose was for an EP, which - as of this writing - has been abandoned. Nonetheless, the band does feel that the four songs recorded, the first with new bassist Adam Rizer, are significant in their development (a point to which we’ll return before too long). But first, an answer to a more obvious question: What attracts a band who draws inspiration from a number of quirky pop groups – Pylon, The Embarrassment, REM’s early work - to the Dave Matthews Band, specifically, the song “Crash”? Here’s a hint: Though the Oxford Collapse calls Brooklyn home, there’s nothing ironic about it. Pace and Rizer are adamant that, when it comes to music, there is no such thing as a “guilty pleasure.” While they admit to finding the lyrics of “Crash” problematic, they have no such issues with the song’s music - and it’s safe to say that very few other bands would record covers of songs by both Dave Matthews and The Embarrassment in the same year.