Time for a little bit of a review folks .. this time it's on Sound The Ocean's brand new album Wait For The Morning.
Now to be honest, this ones outside my normal listening scope - I tend to always lean my tastes towards fast paced high energy rock, or even a touch of pop, but this is definitely a bit different - in a good way.
My initial thought would be to describe it as easy listening, but I don't think that's a fair and accurate description of them either. Their website likens them to Coldplay amongst a few other bands, but I personally feel that they are a far better band than Coldplay. Their songs are more intricately written with better construction, and to me they have far better hooks, and they almost soothe your soul.
I had to stop and check out who the members are in the band because I honestly thought I could hear Bruce Conlon singing for them (remember that guy from Eight?? .. one of my favourite Kiwi singers ever). Then I thought it might have been members from Atlas, but then I changed my mind and thought it might have been some of Jason Kerrison's solo work.
Whilst I describe their music to be laid back and soul soothing, when you actually drill down, you hear a very professionally mixed album in which each instrumental line and vocal line is incredibly well crafted. The drums are powerful enough to drive the songs, but delicate enough to sit in the background. The bass lines are solid enough to be there, but not enough to 'be heard'. Everything has its place, and everything sits exactly where it should in the mix perfectly.
I enjoyed the album far more than I was expecting to, and I believe that you probably will too. If you are a fan of any of the bands I have listed above, I would recommend having a listen - particularly on a long drive as the music will receive the most justice if you listen to it from start to finish ... even with a nice glass of pinot on a Saturday afternoon in the sun.
Check out http://www.soundtheocean.com/ for more details.
Sound the Ocean – 7 music teachers by day, 7 musicians by night (or whenever it’s show time). SEVEN. That equates to 1x Beatles + 1x Jimi Hendrix Experience. Or, if you prefer, 1x Simon & Garfunkel + 1x Rolling Stones. Not that they’re yesterday’s news – no, no, they’re as current as Kim Kardashian’s latest tweet. Seven’s a big number for a band & that’s because these guys (& one gal) think big. Their band name has “ocean” in it for goodness sake (ocean not specified but many analysts point to the Pacific seen as they come from New Zealand). Hail from a small country? They’ll take the world thanks! Like to keep things low key? They’ll make a big song & dance about it! & big songs they do make. First single, “Ghost Town”, is big enough to scare any ghost from any town – not that it’s frightening – rather it’s bound to appeal to those who like to sing along (& it’s common knowledge that ghosts do not). Hold on for second single, “Hold On” – it’s a bouncy number. Third single, “Spring”, needs the three other seasons to contain it… you’ll be singing it all year round. & the title-track to their debut album, Wait For the Morning (2015), will prompt every holder of a cellphone to wave ‘em high, to & fro at their live show (where their sound is magnified even more). So sound the alarm & wake the kids, Sound the Ocean have surfed up on a sound wave near you.