While the band played various venues, they would sell what would eventually become their self-released EP The Ocean Went Mad and We Were to Blame. In his review of the EP, Jamie Funk of Divide and Conquer Music was initially unsure if he could handle banjo picking in every song, but ended up enjoying it. The five songs offered in the EP reminded Funk of alternative bands attempting to play bluegrass music and succeeding beyond expectations. While most of the songs are classically "knee-slapping hoedown" bluegrass, other songs bear some similarities to alternative songs from the 90's. Good Company (2014) The Dead South's debut studio album Good Company was released in 2014 through the German record label Devil Duck Records, and led to extensive touring in Canada and Europe. The album contains a total of 14 tracks, including a rendition of Banjo Odyssey, which previously appeared on The Ocean Went Mad and We Were to Blame. Additionally, The Dead South received in 2015 the "Road Gold" certification from Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) for over 25,000 ticket sales in a 12-month period. In presenting the award, CIMA President Stuart Johnston noted that the certification was given to recognize the talent and hard-working nature of the touring band. In October 2016, a music video for "In Hell, I'll Be in Good Company" was released onto YouTube, retroactively fueling interest in Good Company. Though the song and respective album were released in 2015, they appeared in the Top 50 on the Billboard music charts and on the Top 20 on US iTunes overall chart during December 2017. It is The Dead South's most viewed video by a considerable margin, with over 300 million views. Rachel Freitas of MusicExistence notes that the album's second track, Achilles, "has the signature banjo sound that The Dead South are known for, but the instrumentation is a bit lighter. What one will find quickly while listening to the LP is that The Dead South are master storytellers that really know how to bring a song to life". Illusion & Doubt (2016) Illusion and Doubt was the band's second album, and was noted for its eccentric lyricism, and unusual musical influences, including its usage of a cello. Particular attention was brought to the African-American origins of its sound, with Mark Johnson of Americana UK summarising the album by saying "Bluegrass? How about blackgrass?" Amanda Hathers, of CanadianBeats, opines