OCEANSIZE

Giving an opinion on an Oceansize album is a difficult job. If Everyone Into Position was their attempt at pleasing the masses (and it was) then follow-upFrames was a band unleashed into the wild, attempting to do everything within the space of 50 minutes, resulting in an incoherent album that had peaks, but often languished in overzealous ambition. With that burst of conscience-free music past, Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up is, fortunately, a much more coherent affair. This is a band at its best when crafting atmosphere as well as solid songs, something they should have stuck to after nailing it on their debut record Effloresce. It has taken seven years to achieve that sensation again, although Self Preserved treads a much murkier template than the lighter mood of the debut. A top-loaded opening trio shows how little effort the Manchester group require to write devastatingly heavy tracks, and in their older years they've compressed this density to create a hard-hitting opening that sits nicely alongside the band's heavier contemporaries. The riffs are more subdued than on the likes of 'Homage to a Shame' and yet they leave an unmistakably stronger imprint on the mind. But after this initial flurry, old habits resurface and the familiarly lucid Oceansize makes its introduction on 'Oscar Acceptance Speech'. A twinkling piano line strings along the disparate sections of guitar and rhythm, leading to a delicately poised conclusion that completely slows the pace of the album down; a shallow breath amongst the suffocating blitz. Self Preserved is unlikely to put Oceansize on the same pedestal as the likes of Muse and Biffy Clyro ? a position that a few years ago they may have been more enthusiastic to attain ? but realistically that would destroy the band anyway. This record proves they're better at pleasing themselves than the masses, and that's the attitude that has finally sunk in on this record. They show a breadth of musicianship that sees the album swinging from that sludgy opening salvo to softer, more intricate pieces such as 'Silent/Transparent', an eight- minute track that uses that time to twist and contort into many different shapes and sounds before reaching a juddering conclusion. A note must go to Vennart's vocal performance. The rage heard in previous albums has dissipated a great deal, replaced with a less attention-seeking delivery. His vocals, and the lyrics embedded within them, take longer to make a memorable impression on the mind but over repeated listens the variety he puts into the role blossoms into a cornerstone of emotional performance, Vennart judging the mood of each track to perfection. Self Preserved While the Bodies Float Up is Oceansize's masterpiece. It embodies everything the band has been trying to achieve in over a decade of recording, and only now with the combination of maturity, experience and the acceptance that you just can't please everybody, has the band fully realised its potential. Self Preserved is a consistent and engaging listen, and while the band's previous efforts were certainly rewarding, the attention to detail shown here makes Self Preserved much more so. Now that Oceansize are doing it for themselves ? and not to satiate a shallow demographic that they feel they should appeal to ? the results are more pleasing than ever.

A truly remarkable debut album - I honestly can't recall a debut album from a prog band within the past 15 years that is as solid as this release from start to finish. Highlight tracks are 'Catalyst', 'You Wish', and 'Amputee' but honestly there isn't a weak segment on this album. Another fascinating aspect of this album is the band's sound is fully evolved right here on their debut. They managed to achieve the elusive feat of not really sounding like any other band and continued to do so throughout their career. It was a sad day when Oceansize broke up but at least they have left us with a few albums to continue to enjoy, this one perhaps being the very best of them all. Highly recommended.

A single released with an album, along with a companion instrumental number. I was steered to this band by a friend who has told me how much they are like Pink Floyd. This may have not been a good choice for me to begin looking into Oceansize as this release seems more poppy than proggy. Especially the Porcupine Tree-like HEAVEN ALIVE grunge main song. The instrumental I actually prefer to the first song. Nothing here screams "Pink Floyd" so I will continue to look through Oceansize's discography to find the resemblance I have been told of. But, anyways, this is pretty good, just not great. 3 stars.

Hurricanes suck. Plain and simple.

Don't think I'm obliged to say that coming from a northern Jersey boy. We don't get hurricanes or earthquakes or tornadoes.

Luckily I've been spared a bit power-wise to write a review on this album, which seems just like the perfect hurricane weather album; starts off soft, ends hard with a bang, kinda like...well.....off topic for a second there.

It's a bit of a shame this band is in the wrong genre, though, but nonetheless "Everyone Into Position" is an impressive album.

This Neo-Prog band burst onto the scene (whatever scene was big in Manchester at the time) with their debut "Effloresce". While the record is certainly a good listen, it felt like, to me, some parts were moody and dark, a bit haunting in some places whereas in others a hard rock sound would come bursting through. It sort of sounded like a musical concoction in a blender....that wasn't really blended in well.

Here, the quintet from England seem to have broadened their horizons, but also smooth out the details from the previous record into this 2005 release. Starting off from "The Charm Offensive", the first thing ears are greeted with is the slow sound of post-rock, commonplace on their previous record, so there's no surprise there. Eventually the track builds up and out come the hard rock riffs that also were present on "Effloresce".

While there were many post-rock elements present in "Effloresce", it seems most of them have gone to the side to add a more alternative element to the mix, evidenced on "Heaven Alive". I've always praised singers like Mike Vennart, singers that can easily mingle with the alternative metal/rock scene, but instead chose to be adventurous and play a progressive style of rock like this, or Nicholas Chapel of Demians. Yes, a lot of post-rock elements have been pushed aside in this album, but it's for the better here. This sophmore record is more developed, polished. Oceansize can easily produce radio-ready hits while sticking to the status quo and please the prog heads and post-rock/metal fans.

That much is clear on "A Homage To Shame". Immediately, the metal aspect of this group emerges into a blistering hailstorm, but only for a few seconds as the guitars drop out and give away for Jon Ellis' lone bass over Mark Heron's drumbeat. Vennart continues to sing like a god and a man possessed. This is definitely one of their heaviest tracks, but the alternative rock elements persist, a bit of Muse, a pinch of The Mars Volta here and there. It's what these guys do so well and combining elements of all different bands, genres and styles to create their own delicious part of our nutritious breakfast.

That being prog music, of course.

"Meredith" brings back those post-rock elements in grand fashion. It seems to be the real majesty of this band is the ability to create a song that post-rock fans will be familiar with with the songwriting and accessibility of alternative rock/metal. This carries into "Music For A Nurse". Again, the post-rock elements are there, but there's a major key in there. There's almost a sense of optimism throughout the song, unlike most post-metal/shoegaze songs that usually are in minor keys and sing/talk about despair and sadness. Now, this isn't the type of song to ask a girl to dance to, but it's not going to scare any girls away compared to, oh, I don't know, a Cannibal Corpse song, so there's something for everybody here!

"New Pin" starts off in a "proggy" fashion with an unusual intro but a usual outcome; an alternative rock song that owes its roots to the progressive mash of music this band is performing. Yet another song that can easily make waves on the radio, while "No Tomorrow" starts off like another post-rock/alternative rock tune, until Vennart starts screaming again and kicks things up a notch. The temp maintains that heavy beat to the last second of the song. It's full on metal to this point on. The band even plays to the point where the chords develop into a full on breakdown.

Yes, kids, a breakdown. The kind that emo kids with black hair, tattoos all over their arms, legs and balls and rings going through every single body part they have (left) play. A true, no nonsense, hardcore style, double-bass heavy breakdown.

All I can say after that.................is AWESOME.

That is an extremely sharp contrast to "Mine Host" which is purely an all atmospheric track, with no vocals or drums until halfway through the song. Again, the band may have a few tracks on this album that steer towards the direction of alternative rock/metal, but they haven't forgotten about their roots, and the post-rock elements are still present as on "Effloresce".

"You Can't Keep A Bad Man Down" kinda speaks for itself. It's another vocal and harmony laden track that could easily hit the Billboard Top 100 were it not for the progressive elements there that just make pop record labels cringe and grimace just at the thought of it. It's a formula which few prog bands can accomplish; stay true to the genre while creating catchy lyrics and hook to draw in fans. Oceansize have done it, same with Man On Fire and Echolyn. Problem is, though, prog fans don't like it.

It seems like whenever there are progressive bands that make songs with catchy lyrics and chorus, prog fans are quick to turn against them with excuses like "Oh, they're trying to sell out, they're not a true prog band!". My answer?

Go suck on something.

There is no law in the unwritten rulebook on "How To Make Progressive Rock/Metal Music" on the forbidden rule of catchy lyrics and chorus. Hell, how do you think Dream Theater's "Pull Me Under" got popular? If you go to a Dream Theater concert and you hear the band play "Pull Me Under", chances are you'll hear the audience singing along with them. Many people say that it's the song that revolutionized progressive metal, and I will tell them that they're so full of s***. "Pull Me Under" was, is and always will be their version of the "pop" song.

Finally, "Ornament/The Last Wrongs" finishes the record with a fantastic outing of post-rock, once again. It caps off Oceansize's best album to date, a more polished, refined, refurbished version of "Effloresce". It's another example of the ingenuity that prog fans can create their own style of music while maintaining the alternative and popular lyrics and catchy chorus'.

While in recent years I haven't considered this wonderful English quintet to be of the psychedelic nature, their debut here is probably is the most qualified of the (now) 4 records released by this group.

"I Am The Morning" is the perfect track to represent that, as a slow, dreary, almost optimistic chord progression begins the album, melding into a sort of post-rock groove, which is basically what you'll get throughout the entire album. In fact, the post-rock elements are present (not just this album but in later records as well) so much so that some people unfamiliar with prog would describe this music as shoegaze. Debatable, but perfectly reasonable.

"Shoegaze", for those who aren't familiar, is a style of music which mainly originated in England (Great Britain, UK, etc.) in which the song construction is very basic, the singing is very light (and at times creepy), capped off by the obvious notion that just about all of the bands' members stare down towards their shoes when performing. With this information in hand, judging this disc by the first song, you have a relative guesstimation on what you're going to experience throughout the rest of the disc; slow, continuous rock music with an ominous feel to it.

Then "Catalyst" bursts through with sludgy, almost Black Sabbath-esque riffs to kick you out of a dream. This song can easily put thoughts of a boring song structure and repetitive riffs to shame. Then you begin to notice the singing. Shoegaze is not technically known for the singing aspect of it, nor is post-rock or post-metal or post-hardcore or whatever the hell you call it. Mike Vennart has the pipes of a wannabe Nickelback rock star, and instead of sounding shy and timid like most shoegaze bands follow, he'll be crooning like a pop star until the heavier riffs come in, to which a point where he'll break down the walls with a sudden shriek of anguish and despair, which brings up another moot point.

When was the last time you heard a bland, chugging post-rock/metal band lighten the mood with different riffs, tempo and dynamic changes fronted by a lead singer that could not only croon like Jonny Craig but also scream like a man possessed? Oceansize could easily be pegged a standard post-metal band, but they're so much more than that. Neo-prog may sound like their best home, but even Eclectic prog would be a suitable destination. This outfit combines some of the more modern aspects of rock, metal and prog into a twisted cocktail all their own.

"One Day All This Could Be Yours" starts off in a typical post-rock fashion with an eerie intro and a slow chugging drum line. Vennart, with Steve Durose on the back mics, sings wonderfully well, even though it seems dark at times, but by the end the riffs kick up a notch and that metallic, heavy chugging sound is back again. This is where I really began to crave more interest in the band, since my previous interest in post-rock (during my depression days) has recently faded.

Of course, that post-rock sound returns in "Massive Bereavement" backed by a funky drum track. The vocals once again become a factor is Vennart begins to sing in the upper registers later in the song. In fact, throughout most of this album his singing began to remind me of Mike Patton's singing with Faith No More, albeit fuller and thicker. You take his voice and overlap it over, oh I don't know, a Nickelback or other alternative metal band, and he'd fit in perfectly. His screams at times even seem perfect for the occasion. It's a perfect storm of pop, metal and atmospheric post-rock.

That atmospheric touch is ever so present on "Rinsed", and the post-rock theme of using "rock instruments for non-rock purposes" is clearly there. Naturally, this is countered by the sort of alternative metal touch on "You Wish", followed by the alternative rock "Remember Where You Are", which segues into the heavy hitting "Amputee", followed immediately by the somber "Unravel". It's rather unusual to find 5 different tracks like this from different bands to be on the same album, but Oceansize makes it work, and it's a wonderful style that can't be duplicated.

"Women Who Like Men Who Like Drugs" is a sort of hurricane in a song (coincidence, I'm writing this in the middle of one right now!). The constant rush between soft, gentle guitars and the brash, metallic roar of the heavy sections almost makes you question what you're listening to. But, suddenly, that idea is dissolved in "Saturday Morning Breakfast Show". Here, the listener is greeted almost by a post-metal drone followed by a funky, almost grunge-like beat sustained throughout the song. I definitely hear a lot of Nirvana in this particular track. Of course the trending crescendo common in many songs on this album appears here too until five and a half minutes in where a sudden softness interrupts the ferocity of the guitars for a split second.

Finally, "Long Forgotten" brings a final element into this band's sound: harmony. Peace. Melody. This song could easily be played on the radio and immediately bring in a few new fans to this outfit. Although there are a lot more post-rock elements here than on later records like "Everyone Into Position", this is just their blueprint for the music to come. It's not perfect, but it's something new compared to post-rock bands in general, and that's one key reason why many prog fans have taken a liking to them.

I'm very much a latecomer when it comes to Oceansize. Not only have been completely ignorant to their existence until the release of Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up (try saying that title five times in a row!) but I also began listening to the album as a preparation for what would be the band's final tour. The whole arrangement of the show here in Stockholm was somewhat of a mess; Not only was there a complete lack of promotion for the event, I happened to stumble upon it through a bleak post on Last.fm, but also the fact that it was a completely free gig really didn't sit right with me. It might seem ignorant to complain for experiencing a free live gig on a Sunday night but my concern had more to do with the band's promoters who presumably weren't that good at their jobs. Fortunately, Oceansize didn't disappoint me with their live performance which did succeed to spark my interested in the band and it wasn't long until I really sunk my teeth into their material.

Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up might be considered underwhelming for the long time fans of the band who prefer its predecessor Frames. Yes, the songs are shorter but they are also a bit more direct in their approach and the atmospheric soundscapes aren't as spectacular. Plus, the versatility of the band's repertoire is even more prominent here than what it was on Frames. Still, all these factors manage to somehow become advantages for a rookie like me since the overall result is a much more interesting album that really grew on me with each new visit.

I mentioned in my review of Frames that Oceansize hasn't exactly been a band that managed to completely blow me out of water with their approach to music. There are some qualities that I enjoy and others not so much, but the final result is definitely pleasant enough for me to explore even in the future.

**** star songs: Part Cardiac (4:10) SuperImposer (4:15) Build Us a Rocket Then..." (3:59) Oscar Acceptance Speech (8:54) A Penny's Weight (3:38) Silent/Transparent (8:29) Pine (4:55) SuperImposter (5:16)

*** star songs: Ransoms (4:07) It's My Tail and I'll Chase It If I Want To (3:36)

I began listening to Oceansize in late 2010, only a few month before the band made an official announcement of calling it a day. My journey began with the band's latest offering, Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up, since I was planning to see their live gig. But I soon shifted my attention to Frames since it clearly was considered the pinnacle of the band's career featuring fan favorites like Trail Of Fire and Only Twin.

Let me start by saying that I've never really understood the whole Indie Rock phenomenon, which might explain my presence on this website, and have to admit that Oceansize definitely has that vibe. Likely, the band is much more versatile than most Indie Rock artists. These qualities do come into play and even hijack Frames halfway through the album, but more on that later. The first few tracks have more of a commercial approach to them and I doubt that they alone would be enough to certify the band's status as a progressive rock act. Here is where we get the most clear definition of the ups and downs of their style where Trail Of Fire is dreamy, melodic and appealing to my ears, while Unfamiliar features that emotionless and generic approach to songwriting that I honestly never cared for.

The second part of the album ditches all the need to show off the band's versatile approach to music making, for the sake of it, and concentrates on creating really passionate music that I can easily stand behind. The only pity comes in the fact that the 10 minute closer, The Frame, is just not on par with any of the material that preceded it and I'm truly surprised that Oceansize decided to keep it instead of the superior track Voorhees.

Overall, Frames showed me a new atmospheric side of Oceansize and their repertoire. The compositions generally run a few minutes longer than the tracks off Self Preserved While The Bodies Float Up, giving way for the band's Space Rock sound to really grow. I can't exactly say that I'm a huge fan of Oceansize due to the reasons that I've mentioned previously and the big stylistic shift between the tracks does make it difficult for me to see this album as a whole. Still, it's definitely an enjoyable experience well worth checking out.

***** star songs: Trail Of Fire (8:06)

**** star songs: Commemorative ____ T-Shirt (8:37) Savant (8:07) Only Twin (7:22) An Old Friend Of The Christies (10:19) Sleeping Dogs And Dead Lions (6:42)

*** star songs: Unfamiliar (6:32) The Frame (10:08)

The higher the quality of one's past works, the greater the expectations for the future. So high is the standard of Oceansize's previous three albums, that the risk of disappointment was always present. Not to give up without a fight, Oceansize have nonetheless produced an excellent album.

The songs are shorter, more concise, and perhaps more "alt rock" sounding than truly progressive in some cases. That has stopped them throwing in a couple of epics, and these are inevitably the standout tracks, at least for me.

Oceansize manage, nonetheless, to be impressively potent in 3 or 4 minutes. The first three tracks and 'It's my tail..." are heavy, bass driven and fall perfectly into this category.

'Ransoms', while a great song, feels slightly out of place here with its slow pace and tender, emotional vocals. And here we find the main problem with "Self Preserved..." : the tracklisting. There is no real flow, and the listener is left with a collection of songs rather than a whole. Perhaps if the heavier tracks had been spread out more evenly rather than being grouped at the beginning (with the exception of 'It's my tail...'), a better balance might have been achieved.

Thankfully, the closer is well chosen. While not as epic as Oceansize's previous closing tracks, 'SuperImposter' has just the right feel and leaves the listener satisfied.

Once again, Oceansize has demonstrated exceptional musicianship and excellent songwriting, let down slightly by a lack of flow throughout the album. "Self Preserved..." is still one of the best albums of 2010, but it is a little shy of a full on masterpiece.

'Self-Preserved While The Bodies Float Up' - Oceansize (9/10)

Luckily gracing my ears a few days before 2010 wrapped up, this album by Manchester rock ensemble Oceansize rose quickly up through my top ten, ultimately placing second only to Alcest's 'Écailles De Lune'. Taking part in the more modern sound of progressive rock, this UK group could easily be compared to the sound of giants such as Porcupine Tree, but truly come onto their own and escape any other band's shadow, as is demonstrated by the verbosely titled 'Self-Preserved While The Bodies Float Up'.

Throughout each of the album's ten tracks, Oceansize maintains their keen ability to combine prog rock, pop, sludge metal, and even punk together into one comprehensive fifty minute journey. Starting things off on it's heaviest moment, 'Part Cardiac' is a perfectly abrasive introduction to the music here, although the album rarely reprises the same doomy riffs again. As a rule, the music here is more technical and heavy than what Oceansize is normally used to doing, although there are some lighter, ethereal moments to the album as well. 'Oscar Acceptance Speech' for example, is an atmospheric piano voyage reminiscent of Danish alt- proggers Mew. Along with the rest of the album's middle-section (including the slightly jazzy 'Ransoms', the post-rock ballad 'A Penny's Weight' and the epic highlight of the album 'Silent/Transparent') things are kept quite mellow, before getting heavy once again with the highly punk-inspired 'It's My Tail And I'll Chase It If I Want To'.

Overall, the album comes out to being one of the most consistent to be released in 2010, made less than perfect simply due to the fact that the band seems to draw upon the tricks and style conventions of other bands over innovating their own. Oceansize may not be the most original modern progressive rock band out there, but with this album, dare I say they are one of the best.

I'm sorry, but some of the songs on this album sound as if two or three old tracks that had been laying around from previous years were (rather badly) spliced together ("Savant," "Only Twin," "Sleeping Dogs and Dead Lions," and "Voorhees," ) and the best song on the album, "Trail of Fire" (the only five-star song, IMHO), has some rather incongruous and innocuous sections to it. Gone are melody, variety, and experimentation (unless you want to call venturing further into the land of dissonance and repetition 'experimental') of "Everyone into Position;" here are a harder edge and more dissonance. There's even a song or two I hope to never hear again in this lifetime ("Sleeping Dogs and Dead Lions" and "The Frame"). I still love (the concept of) the drummer who hates to play in straightforward time signatures, the repetitive math rock guitar arpeggios are still catchy (if played ad nauseum), but something like 'charm' or 'charisma' is missing from this album. There is a lot of music on this album--the nine songs average about eight and a half minutes each--but much of it fails to engage and win me over--especially as they 'develop' into either noise and cacaphony or repetition like Chinese water torture. Good, I guess, but not great or even excellent.