Can’t Tame an Old Flame is the closing track from Fluffer, the latest EP from O Odious Ones. It’s quite the departure from the other songs that came before it, which were more in line with something the band endearingly calls “regressive rock/trailer punk”. Can’t Tame an Old Flame is contemplative and patient, spending almost double the time and draped in a completely different mood. The instruments take their turns, aware of where they fit into the story instead of bursting out at the seams. The chaotic wit and playfulness of the band is set aside for a moment of reflection.
Can’t Tame an Old Flame is about getting back together with an old lover and trying to rekindle what they had from before. This is where the cautious energy of the vocals comes from. Our narrator is torn between optimism for the future and the trauma of what happened back then. At the midpoint of the song their conviction starts to waver as the tempo slows down. They wonder if perhaps there’s no taming this flame after all.
O Odious Ones shows a different side of themselves in this song, unraveling a new dimension in their artistry. Perhaps this has always been their style along–to be completely honest and transparent with their music.