Jackson Free Press

When it comes to creative output, Atlanta-based O'Brother flies by the seat of its collective pants. While that may sound silly, it only takes a quick look through the music releases that bullet-point the band's eight-year career to realize the truth of it. Listeners who latched on to the Taking Back Sunday-esque alternative tunes of 2006's "In Comparison to Me" EP may no longer recognize the group of men that take the stage each night under the "nature swirl" logo, but that's the kind of band that O'Brother wants to be.

Of course, it's easy to point out a few key differences: singer Tanner Merritt, 27, has a lower, gruffer voice than that of drummer and former vocalist Michael Martens, 28; and newcomer Jordan McGhin, 23, clearly distinguishes himself from the previous guitarist through his use of a rumbling baritone electric. And according to founding member and bassist Anton Dang, 29, the experience of releasing O'Brother's newest creation out into the world has been a wholly unique one.

"With 'Disillusion,' we knew it would be different even going in the studio," Dang says. "It was really one of our first times working with a legitimate producer instead of just doing it mostly on our own, like we had in the past." Dang and the entire O'Brother roster, which also includes Anton's younger brother, guitarist Johnny Dang, 27, worked with Brand New and Crime in Stereo producer Mike Sapone on their first full-length album, 2011's "Garden Window." They decided to return to his studio, and Sapone's role became significantly greater this go-round.

"We went in with a basic picture of the songs and left it up to being in the studio to put everything together," Dang says. "We did a lot of experimenting in the studio."

That experimentation, which yielded something of a tonal shift for O'Brother, has been met with some trepidation by a few fans. "Disillusion," which hit shelves in August 2013, delivers a darkly psychedelic mood and employs more ambient, atmospheric sound than driving distortion.

"I feel like it's taking the general fan base a little longer to accept, or 'get,' our new material," Dang says. "The people who like it do love it a lot. And personally for me, a lot of my favorite albums didn't click at first, but after a while they just grow on you and connect."

Even with some apprehension from longtime listeners, O'Brother has enjoyed success on several levels since the release of "Disillusion." Though the band members are currently traveling with metal bands Big Business and The Sword, they've taken days off from the tour to headline concerts across the country.

"It's a newer thing for us, really. We had our first headlining tour in August and September last year, so that was the first real feel of that," Dang says. "The goal on the shows with The Sword and Big Business is to fit in as many songs as possible into these 30 minutes. When we're headlining, we think of a set list that will cater to people who actually like us, instead of those half-hour sets where we're trying to win people over however we can."

O'Brother performs at 8 p.m. March 26 at Morningbell Records & Cafe (4760 Interstate 55 N., Suite A, 769-233-7468). Glass Rivers and Waypoint also perform. Admission is $9 in advance and $10 at the door. Visit obrothermusic.net.