O Conqueror

"King Me" is a beautiful album from start to finish by locals O Conqueror. The band produces a soft, somber, and almost floaty sound which remains alluring from track to track.

As I listened, I felt compelled to shut my eyes, lay back and take in everything the album had to offer. "King Me" is full of gorgeous melodies, captivating vocals and often melancholy lyrics. Each track breathes a life of its own while maintaining the mood of the album.

"Masquerade" kicks off "King Me" with soft acoustics, beautifully displaying the musical aptitude of O Conqueror. "Greatest Day" helps diversify the overall sound of the album, being a little bit more upbeat and faster-paced than the rest of the album. The harmonizing vocals in "Death Bed" add significant depth to the track and it’s easily one of my favorite moments on the album. "King Me" closes with "Memo 114" as the perfect bookend, again demonstrating the band's ability to completely immerse you in their music.

The melodies in "King Me" are emotional and tranquil as O Conqueror delivers an excellent first album. O Conqueror are absolutely full of potential and I would be surprised if they don’t see a rise in popularity in the near future. If you enjoy bands like Death Cab for a Cutie, Lumineers or The Shins you’ll certainly feel at home listening to "King Me." Or, if you’re like me and you simply enjoy hearing good music with a fresh and enticing sound, then I would definitely give "King Me" a listen.

You can buy "King Me" for $5 on their website OConqueror.com, in my opinion an album well worth the money. The audio quality is superb as well. You can enjoy my audio interview conducted on the Straight Outta Austin! podcast, HERE.

Follow O Conqueror on Twitter @OConqueror and keep up with their latest tour dates. - Austin Post

"With an introspective style occasionally reminiscent of Band of Horses, thoughtful lyrics, a clear, consistent voice and songs like a friend's shoulder when you're feeling down, I think 'O Conqueror' will go far"
—Matt Parmenter, Quiet Company - Matt Parmenter Endorsement

I liken being a musician in Austin to being a chef in France, the standards are almost unreachably high and the market is substantially saturated with talent. Just what key ingredients does it take to float to the top of such a richly brewed concoction? Wouldn’t every struggling artist, or normal person looking for any good job these days, for that matter, like to know just that? Thursday night I sat down with the band members of emerging local band, O Conqueror, and discussed everything from their new album to making a name for themselves in the Austin music scene to their sense of humor, which they described as a “quick trip to the bottom”, obviously not taking themselves too seriously.

After listening to their debut album, “King Me” I hadn’t expected to laugh so much when I sat down to talk with them. At first listen the album enveloped me like a tender lullaby would. As I delved more and more into the album, the combination of the thoughtful lyrics and perfectly timed hooks, synchronized harmonies, and the smooth integration of time keeping rhythm, riffs from the electric guitar and the addition of brass sounds and the glockenspiel took me on a more distinct journey than a lullaby ever could. The road traveled: the too good to be true beginning of a relationship, the realization of who you are and what you can’t fake anymore, and the shattering and angsty end of a relationship that has you going back and forth from wanting to retreat to something comfortable to wishing that other person could look upon kingdom come. If you’re on a road with similar pitfalls or glancing back at a road you’ve already traveled, this is a great album to accompany you along the ride.

So you can imagine when I sat down with them I expected serious and introspective personalities; I was happily proven wrong, although I could tell it was right there below the surface. It felt more like sitting in the green room of Antone’s with friends, talking about the music we loved and laughing about whatever happened to amuse us: from the hobbit like door of the green room to an old commercial with someone being pelted with dodge balls to arguing over their favorite bands and calling each other fan boys and joking about how the Hyatt Place has some really amazing sounding ottomans. It’s hard to believe that they’ve only been together as a complete band for less than a year and that they’ve come from such a wide array of personal backgrounds and musical genres. But somehow, it works. If you listen hard enough to the album you can hear their different musical experiences (from metal to gospel) and talents mingling to create O Conqueror. And if you can’t hear it on the album you definitely can hear it live. They may have a tender and introspective side, but they also like to rock.


O Conqueror took the stage at Antone’s in Austin on January 24, 2013.

O Conqueror includes: Dustin Doering, Jonathan Baugh, Justin Green, and Tito Sopena and only just played their first gig in May of 2012, releasing their album “King Me”, six short months later. They’ve opened for the likes of Bob Schneider and The Toadies and felt extremely honored to be playing in the one and only Antone’s on January 24th. As Dustin Doering was explaining, “a place can take on a personality” Jonathan interjected that you “can feel it up on the stage, something that just drives the energy up…maybe past musicians have left a little mojo behind.” This was in reference to the greats like Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan who played before them on the stage at Antone’s. We went on to discuss the value of listening to an album from beginning to end, but also the weight of importance rocking out on a stage carries.

When the time came Thursday night, after joking about their pre-show rituals, they did just that starting off with their cover of “Few and Far Between”. They followed up with songs from their album and some newer songs they’ve been working on. In the line up for the night they were oddly sandwiched between Ransom Jack and 5 Years Counting; I could more easily see them opening up for bands like Milo Greene or The Lumineers, just to name a few. But when Antone’s calls, you go. The set was excellent, but it was clear that a decent sound check could’ve helped to work out the kinks they were seamlessly maneuvering around on stage. They kept their cool and continued to put on a good show, slowly drawing the small, early, Thursday night crowd further from the bar and closer to the stage. The excitable energy the drummer, Jonathan Baugh, shared with the crowd and the fusion they all shared together on stage were key factors in that. It left me looking forward to their next show and wishing I had seen them before at the Parish, a show they unanimously spoke as their favorite so far prior to the Antone’s set.

In the immediate future you will be hard pressed to find a live show with O Conqueror, they are taking February to work on a music video, to develop new idea - Lay Opinion

Whoah! The Artstråda magazine crüe was late to review the fantastic new album debut “Kingme” by O Conqueror, and boy, do we wish we had this album to listen to over Christmas! Not because this is a collection of Christmas music, but because these
meticulously crafted and soulful arrangements would have been superb to have when sharing time with
Our loved ones. Every track is a great listen. All of them. When was the last time you heard that?
Much less in a debut!
We were totally blown away. O Conqueror could definitely be the next great act out of Austin Texas!
In a town that has lost many great legends recently, you should keep your eyes on
Dustin Doering (Guitar/Vox), Jonathan Baugh(Percussion/Keys/Vox), Justin Green (Lead Guitar/Multi Instrumentalist/Vox), and Tito Sopena (Bass Guitar).

The crüe plan on checking out more from this great band and we desperately want to see an O Conqueror live show!

5 fists up! Out of 5 - Artstrada Magazine

King Me is a beautiful album from start to finish. O Conqueror produce a soft, somber, and almost floaty sound which remains alluring from track to track. As I listened, I felt compelled to shut my eyes, lay back and take in everything the album had to offer. King Me is full of gorgeous melodies, captivating vocals and often melancholy lyrics. Each track breathes a life of its own while maintaining the mood of the album.

Masquerade kicks off King Me with soft acoustics, beautifully displaying the musical aptitude of O Conqueror. Greatest Day helps diversify the overall sound of the album, being a little bit more up beat and faster paced then the rest of the album. The harmonizing vocals in Death Bed add significant depth to the track and it’s easily one of my favorite moments on the album. King Me closes with Memo 114 as the perfect bookend, again demonstrating their ability to completely immerse you in their music.

The melodies in King Me are emotional and tranquil as O Conqueror delivers an excellent first album. O Conqueror are absolutely full of potential and I would be surprised if they don’t see a significant rise in popularity in the near future. If you enjoy bands like Death Cab for a Cutie, Lumineers or The Shins you’ll certainly feel at home listening to King Me. Or, if you’re like me and you simply enjoy hearing good music with a fresh and enticing sound, then I would definitely give King Me a listen. - Punching The Walls Of Reality

O Conqueror played an amazing set at Stubb’s indoors with Southbound Drive and The Chorderoys on December 21, 2012. I shot this video - the first I’ve ever shot! - starting about a minute into the band’s brilliant cover of the Blue Oyster Cult classic ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’.
It is live now at The Impaler Speaks’ YouTube Channel - Check it out!
www.oconqueror.com <—> @OConqueror
Video of O Conqueror live at Stubb’s in Austin, Texas, on December 21, 2012, by Timothy ‘The Impaler’ Schwader © theimpalerspeaks
Follow @impalerspeaks on Twitter. You know you want to. - The Impaler Speaks

I always worry about going to see a band for the first time. After taking the time to get all dolled up, make my way downtown and find parking, what if the show lacks energy and the music just isn’t my style?

For the hardcore local band fanatics, disappointment comes with the territory. They’ll discover some good shows; they’ll find some bad ones. It all balances out in the end.

O Conqueror is one local band that didn’t disappoint me. They recently opened for What Made Milwaukee Famous at The Parish, and you can look for them at Stubb’s and the Pecan Street Festival over the next few weeks.

For the first band of the night, O Conqueror had a solid crowd come out for them at The Parish. Set in predominantly minor keys, Dustin Doering’s melodic vocals were layered over intensely driving drums and guitar. And dare I say that – in his lower range – Doering sounded like Brandon Flowers (The Killers)?

What’s definitely safe to say is that the four members of O Conqueror have got game. Their musical interludes were anything but filler. They didn’t make me think, “Get back to the words already.” These gentlemen had skill to showcase, and their fast-tempo, mournful interludes resonated with the audience.

The audience was able to catch the vibe because the chemistry starts within the band. Doering on guitar and vocals, lead guitarist Justin Green, bassist Tito Sopena and Jonathan Baugh on drums contribute to the whole. None of the members need to crowd their way into the spotlight because each one of them understands that O Conqueror is the sum of their individual sounds.

Look for O Conqueror’s album, King Me, in November. If you can’t wait until then, multiple appearances are scheduled on their calendar, including an August 31st show.

August 28, 2012 by Brittany Highland - The Austinot

To me, there’s a lot of good music that comes out of Texas. The Canvas Waiting and Courrier, who I have posted about before, made me believers of that. This week, Austin dwellers O Conqueror have been added to that list.

Founded just last year, Justin Green, Tito Sopena (dude, that’s such an awesomely sweet sounding last name), Jonathan Baugh, and Dustin Doering have come together to create beautiful and mellow music under the name O Conqueror.

The opening track “Masquerade” sounds very similar to Ryan Adams’ style. Rainy day music is the best way to describe this song, really, and it’s great. Some albums first tracks are all BAM RIGHT IN YOUR FACE and it’s sort of intimidating, but not with O Conqueror. They’re settng the tone for the rest of the album with “Masquerade”, easing you into it and letting you know that the rest of the album is going to be a wonderful listening experience.

“Memo” reminded me of Ryan Adams yet again, particularly with the harmonica part. “Memo” is the last track on the album, and I think it’s great that they began and ended with songs that are similar in tone. They start off tenderly and end tenderly. Very well done!

“Death Bed”, the song you can find above, may seem like it’s a sad song at first glance, but it’s not, I promise! It’s actually an extremely sweet song and the xylophone is a great touch. Fans of Laura Stevenson & the Cans as well as the Civil Wars will enjoy this one. On “Greatest Day”, they shake it up a little and show that they are capable of more than just sweetness and deep, velvety smooth goodness with their runes. The rhythm of this track is pretty much the bob-your-head, tap-your-toes kind of catchy.

“Fake Love” and “Shed Our Skin” have those certain qualities about them that…they are both one of those songs that you need to drive 70 mph down the highway with the windows down to get the full effect. Trust me. “Pushing Daisies” has got that beautifully haunting thing going on. It gave me chills, but the good kind of chills.

Simply put, O Conqueror is going to go places. There aren’t too many sweet, mellow and deep bands out there nowadays, but O Conqueror’s album will change that very soon. Oh yes it will. Also, you can head over to their website www.oconqueror.com right now and get two tracks for free! What are you waiting for?! - Indie Sheep

"O Conquerer" creates a unique sound - their songs are clearly made out of love for music and they have conquered our Playlist by storm." - Mike Tarpataky from Radio-im-Internet.de - Rock-Indie-Alternative Germany - Mike Tarpataky from Radio-im-Internet.de - Rock-Indie-Alternative

Recognizing his limitations led Austin musician Dustin Doering to find new success.

Doering founded his band, O Conqueror, about a year ago; it makes its Amarillo debut Saturday at The 806.

Doering said O Conqueror allows him to express himself more as a musician, something he wasn’t getting done in several Austin bands, including his last, Isle of White.

“I had written little things here and there for them, but I was just feeling like I was wanting to go in the direction of more of my songwriting,” he said. “I consider myself more of a songwriter/ arranger. I wanted to get my own voice out there.”

Besides, he was finding strictly playing lead guitar wasn’t working for him.

“Growing up, you want to be the best guitar player on the block,” Doering said. “I’ve played in funk bands, in jazz bands, in rock bands, and I realized that you can’t be the fastest, can’t be the loudest. There’s always someone above you. You can just do you.”

That also helped him realize he was finding more pleasure in a different style of music.

“I’m putting more dynamics in the composition, in the layering of parts,” Doering said. “When you’re younger, you think more of ... how rocking can I be, but now, I think more of the layers that really make a song.”

So now, he’s looking beyond such influences as Pink Floyd, Elliott Smith and Radiohead.

“I’m stacking on a bunch of influences over the years of playing music for quite a long time,” he said. “There are more emotional rises and falls (in O Conqueror’s music), something more cinematic. As time goes on, I put more of my voice into it.” - Amarillo Globe News

O Conquer could easily be chunked with any other mellow alt rock band in Austin. So why am I writing about an album that will not see the light of day till November? Because they are not just another mellow alt rock band from Austin, they are a mixture of what I want from music out of Austin. O Conquer is simple and lyrical not bells and whistles with a flash of gimmick. I didn’t need the mastered tacks because this is not the type of band that dose anything other than play their instruments well against a color of strong lyrics.

The band has pulled together a collection of 8 songs that to me are a strong representation of life in your 20’s. In your 20’s you go through highs and lows all while trying to find a place in life. “Fake Love” is the standout track for me and I cannot wait for you to hear it. The song is for anyone who has been in a relationship and felt forced to make it into something more or something else. It was a different perspective that I had not lyrically experienced in a song but had in fact experienced in life.

Overall the album is for the broken hearted and lost. If you are looking for the next radio hit this is not it, but this will keep you warm at night when you feel lost and alone. You can keep an eye out for it in November or go to the O Conqueror website and join the e-list for two free tracks and get a feel of what I am talking about. Then if you like it they will let you know more when the album comes out. - All Things Next

" O Conqueror are one of those acts that makes a big impression on the first listen. Smart songs laced with clever hooks. A sense of honesty that is quite rare these days. "
-Matt Noveskey/ Producer/ Blue October bassist - Blue October Endorsement

'O Conqueror' makes introspective late nite peering into one's own soul music, from a sweet sad acoustic-tinged 3am driving alone with a broken heart kind of band. Recommended."
-Dave In The Cave, Forthoodradio.com. - Dave In The Cave, Forthoodradio.com.

"O Conqueror's sound is packed with emotion, great rhythm and echoing vocals...a definite head-turner in the smiley-happy music town of Austin!" -Andres (AC) Cantu 101x, 101.5 FM Austin - Andres (AC) Cantu 101x, 101.5 FM Austin

"Brilliantly understated, tender and sweet; Austin Indie Popsters O Conqueror are poised to go far in 2012"
-Trevin on the Radio-101X-KROX FM - Trevin

"Simply put, O Conqueror is going to go places." -Indie Sheep
- indie Sheep