A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad

by

Ocean Colour Scene

Edit

Ocean Colour Scene is the official mod group. They are featured in a lot of Guy Ritchie films. They are well dressed lads. This records starts off well with "Everything Comes At The Right Time" which rocks with unique fury. "Free My Name looks back at Northern Soul and Motown. They even do "Wah Wah" by George Harrison, which is from one of my all time favorite albums. The Modfather himself, Paul Weller, shows up on one track "Waving Not Drowning." Many British musicians make appearances on this recording that is very British. This is another quality record by the Scene.

Having been an Ocean Colour Scene fan for since 1996 I was shocked at the quality of this album after their previous album "North Atlantic Drift" was such a good release full of promise and great songs.

This album is just weak from cover to songs. The boys have taken an approach to songs that just sounds very lazy, there is probably only 2 songs on this album that could be in the bracket of "good" which when you consider other OCS releases "good" is average as normally there are 2 songs that are "amazing".

Their take on "Wah-Wah" is appaling and rigid. Next single "This Day Should Last Forever" makes you wish the song didn't seem to last forever. The albums first single "Free My Name" seems like a traditional re-packaging of any old OCS song and it shows through with it's tacky string section hookline and Spectoresque/grotesque wall of sound attempt.

There are moments on this album that make you go "wow that's not bad" but these moments are far and few between, mainly it is Steve Cradocks guitar playing that makes for these comments.

If you only own 1 or 2 Ocean Colour Scene albums or don't own any then I recommend looking at other albums as this newest one is simply for the collector.