published: 23 /
7 /
2011
Label:
Hassle Records
Format: CD
Fantastic second album from Essex-based post-hardcore collective, We Are The Ocean
Review
Well. Egg on my face. Avid followers of my articles (hello to both of you, har har) might remember that last October-time, I went to see We Are The Ocean in Newcastle, and left distinctly under-impressed. In the months that followed, I not once but TWICE heard a song on the radio I loved but didn’t know the name of, and used my fancy Track ID phone app to find out that both times the song was 'The Waiting Roo'm by We Are The Ocean. Not only does this demonstrate my rather alarmingly poor memory when it comes to retaining song information, it also shows the unsurprising fact that I have the capacity to be very, very wrong. I categorically withdraw any negative opinion my previous review may have conveyed, because this album is abso-frigging-lutely incredible.
I mean, in my last review I called (cringe) them formulaic and samey. Ohhh, the humiliation of having written that about a band I am now basically viewing as my favourite musical act of 2011. I am throwing myself, unashamedly, at their mercy. I TAKE IT ALL BACK. WE ARE THE OCEAN!
'Go Now and Live' is the second album by the Essex post-hardcore collective. Opening track ‘Trouble is Temporary, Time is Tonic’ begins with an 80's metal riff and a vocal screech that would sound right at home somewhere between Led Zeppelin and Motley Crue, and it is truly spectacular. Fast paced and heavy on riffs and drums, I couldn’t imagine a better introduction to the album. Without giving you chance to breathe, you’re then hurtled into restrained yet anthemic ‘What It Feels Like’, featured on the Radio 1 playlist earlier this year.
‘The Waiting Room’, the track that haunted me into finding out what it was twice, is just gorgeous. The play off between the vocal styles of Dan Brown and Liam Cromby is a lesson in perfect contrast, and the lean toward pop-punk make me wonder why, in actual fact, this hasn’t been played MORE by Radio 1 in recent months. Other stand-out tracks – in this section, to be perfectly honest, you could just assume the names of all tracks I haven’t already mentioned – include the slow-burning but beautiful ‘Runaway’ and the punchy ‘Overtime is a Crime’.
There are flashes of all the bands We Are The Ocean cite as influences – UnderOath, Thrice, Foo Fighters, as well as songs which are in part reminiscent of Alexisonfire and Black Lungs, due to a freakish vocal similarity between Wade MacNeil of the aforementioned bands, and Dan Brown of We Are The Ocean.
Basically, We Are The Ocean, I was an idiot until this album landed on my doormat. You are supremely awesome, this album is solid gold, and I adore you. I hope this makes up for my foolishly hasty previous review.
Track Listing:-
1
Trouble Is Temporary, Time Is Tonic
2
What It Feels Like
3
The Waiting Room
4
Run Away
5
Trials And Tribulations
6
Overtime Is A Crime
7
Godspeed
8
Now And Then
9
Follow What You Need
10
Before I Die
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