There are only so many bands at this point (and in the past as well) that have made use three guitarists. Most it conjures images of Southern rock from THE OUTLAWS to the more modern boogie of RAGING SLAB. Every now and then you get a group like THE BLUE AEROPLANES with their brand of pop rock. Manchester, England’s OCEANSIZE are definitely more moody than past three guitar armies this writer can remember. “Everyone Into Position” is the group’s follow-up to their 2003 debut “Efflorence”.

“The Charm Offensive”, the albums opener is quite reminiscent of SOUNDGARDEN. The song is longer and moody. This band has a great sense of dynamics. The next track “Heaven Alive” builds on that sound with the atmosphere of the shoegazing era a la RIDE or earlier VERVE. A good chunk of OCEANSIZE’s compositions move along at a brisk pace, no matter how much atmosphere is layered or what the song length is (usually quite long). Their ambiguous feel has cascading guitars that employ plenty of effects. The drums and bass have the pummeling power of the Albini-esque Chicago sound. “OCEANSIZE have built a career and reputation of constructing sonic soundscapes from out of nowhere into the most monolithic, dynamic behemoths heard in eons” states their bio. It’s hard to disagree with this.

“A Homage To A Shame” is quite heavy and goes through what appears to be a complex arrangement choc full of odd time signatures a little bit like SLINT. “Meredith” has a very CHAMELEONS UK vibe to it with its delayed guitar parts. “Music For A Nurse” sounds as if Robin Guthrie of COCTEAU TWINS may have produced the session. “New Pin” starts and concludes with a techno sound that actually enhances the song rather than hinders it. “No Tomorrow” provides the listener with chunky riffs, a speed metallic crescendo and singer Mike Vennart really steps up to the plate on this one. With so much guitar firepower, it’s not hard to see him getting lost in the mix. He does an admirable job through out “Everyone Into Position”. The albums closers “You Can’t Keep A Bad Man Down” and “Ornament/The Last Wrongs” put this unit on top of the rock. Epic songwriting hardly gets better than this.

- Herring

OFFICIAL SITE: www.oceansize.co.uk

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