This mysterious post-metal/sludge/doom album is the second full-length
from Pretoria
band The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me. It is a concept album, with each song being
about one of seven characters attending a funeral of the deceased – a friend, a
husband, a father, an adulterer, and acquaintance and his origin. It was fun to
try and figure out which song was about each character.
The Ocean Doesn’t Want Me (TODWM) creates melancholy, epic soundscapes.
The multilayered passages contrast well with the sparse parts. The latter give
the impression of vast, empty spaces.
It feels like all the sound effects are relevant, and none stray into
pretentious territory. The effects on opener Roots Point The Way has an oceanic feel. Most of the album reminds
me of the coast, making the coastal town where I live the perfect setting to
listen to this album. I imagine the funeral taking place in a small coastal
town where everyone knows everyone, yet some secrets remain hidden. The
instruments and effects combine with the lyrics to tell the story of the
funeral very well; I always enjoy albums that tell a story well and create
pictures of it in my mind.
Album highlights for me were Roots
point the way, This castle stands
alone, Property line and Until our mouths are filled with earth.
None of the tracks are fillers though, and all make important contributions to
the album overall. The lyrics are mysterious poetry that makes one think about
their meanings. It’s mostly unclear which song is about each character, which
will make discovering who is who more rewarding.
As the dust settles is a stellar body
of work from a professional outfit. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the
vast soundscapes and the narratives of this album.
Personnel: Robin - Drums and synths
Beastie – Bass and vocals
CF – Guitars and
vocals
Web presence: http://theoceandoesntwantme.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment