Hello reader,
How are you today?
If you enjoy bands that playfully tread the line lyrically between fantasy and reality, we’ve got a perfect recommendation for you – Milwaukee, Wisconsin based band Oh Geeez, Not Again. They’re a self-described “quirky-but-sincere” 4-piece pop-rock group making songs inspired by fantasy and coming-of-age adventure stories. In fact, their latest album MAPMAKER, which was released in fall of 2024, is entirely based on that premise. It’s a release worthy of multiple listens.
“[The album] tells the story of a young character leaving home to chase their dreams in the wilderness, fighting monsters and learning from mentors all along the way!” explains band member Sean McGibany.
It’s an engaging thematic lyrical thread that continues on the band’s latest single “Think Fast,” which is out now and that we’re excited to put the spotlight on today. You can stream the superb new track that’s full of catchy pop-rock goodness below (or here for more streaming links):
You can also watch the song’s engaging and colorful music video, which features scenes from Disney animated series The Owl House, below:
McGibany and fellow member Alex Dollenmayer caught up with SWT recently to discuss the awesome new single as well their sound, origin and future plans.
What was your inspiration for the new single?
Sean McGibany: Like many things about Oh Geeez, Not Again, this song was quite a journey! I wrote the first draft of “Think Fast” in summer 2022 – it was originally inspired by an episode of Disney’s The Owl House series – but we never ended up recording a final version. In 2024, we moved away from writing about TV shows to make our own original concept album called MAPMAKER – a story about leaving home for the first time and encountering monsters and mentors along the way as you find your place in the Unknown. But Alex (our drummer) always had a soft spot for “Think Fast” and was encouraging us to finish the song.
Alex Dollenmayer: When the song was initially scrapped in 2022, I had a hard time letting it go. I would bring it up every couple of months, but it never felt like the right time for it. When Sean started talking about adding some extra songs to the MAPMAKER storyline, this felt like the perfect opportunity.
SM: I realized that the song offered a new perspective on the MAPMAKER storyline – the idea of having a partner along with you on your adventure. “Think Fast” is a song about finding someone who inspires you – a friend you can be yourself around – and that’s a big part of any journey of self-discovery!
AD: I’m just so glad the world can finally hear it! I’ve been waiting for the day!
How does it relate/compare with the band’s recent album/themes/sound?
SM: We’ve been incorporating more elements of 2000’s pop-punk into our sound – Jack, Alex, and Joe grew up on the songs of Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and All Time Low. “Think Fast” is our most indebted song to that style, and we hope fans of those bands will really love this track! It’s a song about young love/friendships, so it lends itself very well to that fast, energetic sound. But I also got to add my country background to it, too, with the banjo and guitar in the outro. I can sneak a banjo into almost any song!
AD: As someone who learned drums based off pop punk music, it’s been so exciting to implement that into our music. It gives me a great excuse to hit the drums hard live and best represent our influences. In between practicing our songs in rehearsals, Jack and I will inevitably break out into Green Day covers. I think that was bound to start bleeding into our music, and it really started to show with MAPMAKER. “Think Fast” is the full embodiment of that sound.
Any other thoughts on how the band’s sound and chemistry is unique compared to others?
SM: From the very beginning, our music has been about telling a story – whether that was enhancing a pre-existing story when we were writing songs inspired by TV shows, or telling our own story on MAPMAKER. As we explore new topics through the lens of MAPMAKER, we always want to stick to that core concept and story arc of being on a journey of self-discovery. There’s a whole world to explore out there – both good and bad – and we hope our music will inspire people to go out and have an adventure of their own!
AD: It makes it more fulfilling for us to tell complete stories rather than just throwing random songs out there without any connective tissue. Our goal is that the songs work on their own, but for those that want to dive deeper, there’s always a larger story being told.
What are the band’s biggest musical influences?
SM: We take inspiration from three key genres – 2000’s pop-punk, modern country, and 2010’s alternative. All of our songs have some element of each of those genres. I personally grew up on country music, and then got more into the pop/alternative scene in the late 2010’s with bands like Twenty One Pilots, Marianas Trench, and Walk the Moon.
AD: I was mostly raised on classic rock, but when I was 9 or 10 years old, I heard Fall Out Boy‘s “Dead On Arrival” for the first time. I genuinely think it changed my whole perspective on music. Above all else, I’m drawn to catchy choruses, fun drum parts, and relatable lyrics, so pop punk continues to be a favorite genre of mine to this day.
How/when did the band form? What brought everyone together?
SM: It was a natural, slow process of forming the band as you see it today. I started Oh Geeez, Not Again as a solo project in very early 2020, not knowing then that the pandemic would give me a lot of time to focus on music and grow the project online. Once it started gaining some attention, I brought Jack in – Jack and I have played music together for the past 8 years in some capacity, and I knew he could help bring these songs to life. We met Alex in 2021 by sheer happenstance online after seeing his drum covers on Twitter (remember Twitter?), and he has been an indispensable part of the band ever since – even though we live in different states and he does most of his parts remotely!
AD: When I joined in summer 2021, it was honestly just so refreshing to have a new creative outlet. I still can’t believe the way it all aligned so perfectly, especially being states away. I started out by doing drum recordings every so often for Sean until I became an official band member later that year.
SM: We met Joe in 2022, not as a musician but as a filmmaker. He did a music video with us that year, and he expressed interest in playing bass for the band. We brought him on as an official member at the start of 2024 when we began recording MAPMAKER. Everything is a journey with us!
AD: Even though it’s now been a few years, it’s still so surreal to share the stage with Sean, Jack, and Joe. I couldn’t ask for a better group to be a part of.
What are the band’s future plans?
SM: We just got back from our first-ever tour, which was incredible! It was a huge step forward for us, and we can’t wait to do it again! We’re hoping to hit the stage as often as we can for the rest of the year. We also plan on releasing a deluxe version of MAPMAKER with a few new songs that explore more aspects of the “self-discovery journey” arc and beyond.
AD: I’m super excited about everything we have planned for this year. Playing shows and putting out a few new songs is our top priority. The album cycle still very much feels like it’s in its infancy, so there’s a lot more to explore!
SM: If you’re new to our music, we welcome you to the expedition and hope to see you soon!
You can follow Oh Geeez, Not Again on Facebook, Bluesky, Instagram and TikTok and listen to their music on Spotify and YouTube.
Joshua is co-founder of Scummy Water Tower. He’s freelanced for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including: Rolling Stone, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Guitar World, MTV News, Grammy.com, Chicago Magazine, Milwaukee Magazine, MKE Lifestyle, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A.V. Club, SPIN, Alternative Press, Under the Radar, Paste, PopMatters, American Songwriter, and Relix. You can email him at josh@scummywatertower.com.
