The Ugly Organ Album Analysis

The Ugly Organ album is a fictionalized version of Tim Kasher's life after his divorce, the album features the main character the Ugly Organist, as well as characters like the Butcher, and the fairy.  I love an album with a story so naturally I had to analyze it. Of course this is just a summed up version of how I interpreted his lyrics. I'm hoping to write a more in depth version for each song eventually so this is a rough draft.   

Also please be nice. I haven't written anything since I dropped out like a year ago, I haven't felt inspired to write in sooo long. I’m also just learning how to write about things that I actually like instead of just essays for class. Also apologies for the superrr dry sentence starters. 

The Red Handed Sleight Of Hand 

This is the first song in the album, whose main character is the ugly organist. This first song talks about the parallel the organist has with his music and the church, specifically seeing his songs as a replacement for confessions. This song shows the organists religious trauma with the catholic church.

Art is Hard

The second song on this track talks about how the only way the organist seems to be able to succeed is by selling songs about self pity, and tragedy. Which creates a toxic cycle of putting himself in unhealthy relationships in order to have writing material. He also touches on how making a career off of emotional songs feels superficial. As his emotions on stage are just for show, and no longer genuine. Overall this song is all about “sinking to swim” as Tim Kasher puts it. 

The Recluse

This song is about one of the organists hook ups and day dreaming of finally finding “the one”. The song starts with the organist waking up in a stranger's room and fantasizing about what she's like. At some point he begins questioning himself, why is he so desperate?  why can’t he keep a relationship? The song ends with him continuing his daydream, of her coming back and telling him he’s “home”. 

Herald! Frankenstein 

(interlude)

Butcher the song

This song is a recount of a fight the Organist had with his ex wife, who plays the Butcher. The argument appears to be about how he gets all his writing material by assassinating her character. While the Organist defends himself by explaining the songs about his “deepest sins” is what people want to hear. The song ends with the organist alluding to the relationship ending. 

Driftwood: A Fairy Tail

This song is about one of the organists relationships after the divorce, with a “fairy” who made him feel alive. He uses a metaphor about being a doll that's pulled to life by strings to emphasize this. The song continues with the organist showering the fairy(girl) with compliments and gifts to prove his love. But she calls him a liar in return, at first he protests only to realize she was right, he didn’t love her. So he leaves and returns to being lifeless “driftwood”. 

A Gentleman Caller

This song is about a drunken hook up. It describes a girl who’s been cheated on, and the organist convinces her to sleep with him to “get even”. The second half of the song covers the next day where the woman feels regretful of her actions, and realizes the organist would’ve said anything to sleep with her. This song is another one that references the bible, he also uses a metaphor comparing the gentleman caller to a dog.

 (this one could also be referencing the organist as the "gentleman caller, and his ex wife as the women)

Harold Weather vein

This song is quite loud compared to others on the record and seems to symbolize the organist feeling overwhelmed. 

(honestly i need to analyze this one more but its very clear bros overwhelmed and its more of an interlude song in my opinion)

Bloody Murder

(ill get back to you on this one… i have ideas but articulating my thoughts on this ones hard)

Sierra 

This one is about the Organists struggle with wanting to have a family and settle down, but not yet being close to his goal. The song follows him watching a girl play hopscotch as her mother calls to her from the window. From here he day dreams about what their family is like, he names the girl Sierra. He then changes the narrative saying he wants that life, “get that man out of my bed now”, and takes the fictional man's place in his daydream.

Staying Alive

This is another one thats more of an interlude. But essentially is about the organist choosing to keep fighting, and stay alive which concludes the album. 

side note: Notice how the two main themes are fairy tails and religion? I feel like this is Kasher merging the two, almost to discredit the bible as just another children's story.