EVERYONE INTO POSITION

There are two striking things with current day indie/alternative rock, the first is that it gets a Prog tag too easily, the second is that I immediately warm up to it but get bored almost equally fast. Kind of the opposite course of usual prog rock appreciation, isn't it? Named after a Jane's Addiction song, Oceansize's music is a respectful tribute to that great band. Oceansize takes the proggy indie rock of Jane's Addiction into the 21st century by adding an equal dose of Tool and Radiohead to it. There's a slight spacey feel that could be referred to Floyd or to post-rock.

Oceansize's second is a worthy follow up to the debut, but all the peaks sit in the first half, resulting in a problemetically oversized album. Given the quality material that ended up on some of their EPs and singles, this album could have been a lot stronger.

The beginning is good though, The Charm Offensive is a spaced-out twist on Tool, executed by a good singer. Heaven Alive loans the funky vibe - and pretty much everything else as well - from Jane's Addiction, except for the voice, which sits somewhere in between Kevin Moore and Lane Staley. The opening bars and the ending of A Homage to a Shame seem to come straight off a Sonic Youth album. In between sits a Tool song. Meredith is a spaced-out musing and the first moment that has some Floydian traits, still the guitar similarities with the Cure are far bigger. Anyway, it's one of my favourite songs on the album together with Music for A Nurse, another attractive laid-back chunk of atmospheric post-rock, with a gloomy mood and soft vocals that remind me (in a good way) of the long tracks at the end of the Cure's Disintegration album.

At this point, the album has run its course, New Pin and No Tomorrow have their moments but get aggravating pretty quickly. Also the remaining tracks are far below the first half of the album. Oceansize sure had everyone in the band into position, but not every song yet.

Oceansize is an enjoyable but second class indie/alt rock band, certainly not in the same league as their heroes Jane's Addiction, Tool, Sonic Youth, Radiohead or the Cure. Anyway, as the first 5 songs show, Oceansize have it in them to create a great album, would that be the next one? 3.5 stars for now.