maxfisher

I picked this up when it came out Tuesday and hadn't even known the band was working on anything until last week. We had a thread when Without Feathers came out and I remember people being disappointed with it, though I ended up loving it just as much as Logic Will Break Your Heart. I've only been through Oceans Will Rise once, but so far the only standout track is Snakecharming. The rest of the album fell a little flat for me initially, but I'm hope it grows on me, as I like the band and they've been great the two times I've seen them live.

Rocketdog2000

Yeah, I got it. I was going to start a thread about it, myself, and saw you had already done so. This one's release caught me completely off guard, too, as I only found out about it from reading a review in Blender (which was very positive, as were the ones in AP and All Music Guide).

You can count me among those disappointed by Without Feathers - at least, initially. It took quite awhile to grow on me, unlike Logic Will Break Your Heart, which I loved instantly. The whole stylistic shift, with Dave Hamelin switching over from playing drums to lead vocals/guitars and being the new musical director of the band, put me off at first. I just prefer Tim Fletcher's vocals, and didn't care for him being, what seemed, pushed into the back seat. I understand their reasons for the change at the time, but I also think they realized they lost some fans in the process, and thereby went back to more of the style of the debut for the new album.

I've only had time to listen to Oceans Will Rise twice so far, and I was a bit distracted while doing so, so it hasn't had time to sink in too much. On initial listen, though, I can say that I much prefer it to their last album. I didn't have that same sensation of "What the fuck is this?" that I did the first time I played Without Feathers. As I previously stated, OWR sounds like the band trying to capture a bit more of the sound of their debut, while also trying to keep the better aspects of WF. Essentially, they're trying to find that happy medium which will not only appease/appeal to fans of both albums, but be something everyone in the band is happy with, too. My cursory listens say it's pretty much working, but I still need to give it some more time. Having listened without the artwork handy, I'm not even familiar with the songs titles yet.

So far, though, I still think Logic Will Break Your Heart is their best. Hopefully, they'll be touring somewhere near me soon, as I've never seen them live, and would very much like to.

Rocketdog2000

Okay, so I had a chance to give the album two thorough listens today, and I'm now ready to proclaim it one of the year's best.

The first time was on my mp3 player while working out, and did this album ever lend itself well to that. The whole (mostly) upbeat tempo feel, the ringing & chiming guitars, and anthemic sound just kept me going - right for the first song to the last. There wasn't a single song that made me want to skip to the next track. I'm hard pressed to pick favorites, but the first four songs - "Don't Talk Down", "Snow In California", "Snakecharming The Masses", and "Being Here" - are a solid opening salvo. I did particularly enjoy the rhythmic and percussive aspects of "Snakecharming". "Panic" and "Eastern Europe" were also standouts that grabbed me - the latter track, especially, I had noticed on my first cursory listens, but just didn't know what it was called. The album's closing cut "Statue Of Sirens" lent itself rather well to my 'cool down' part of the workout, as well.

I gave it another spin on the CD in the car on the way home, and still liked it just as much. Yeah, I'm very happy with this album.

slymer

I've only heard Logic Will Break Your Heart, which I'm a big fan of. What's the reasoning behind the drummer taking over lead vocals and guitars? I might pick up Oceans Will Rise this weekend.

Rocketdog2000

Their original (other) guitarist, Greg Paquet, left the band to finish his university degree sometime after the release of the first album, and before they recorded the second. After he left, Dave Hamelin, who also did contribute guitars and some vocals, but was primarily the drummer (and co-chief songwriter) for the first album, took over for him. Colin Brooks joined the band to take over the empty drum seat (who has since been replaced himself by new drummer Julien Blais), and keyboardist Liam O'Neil went from being a guest musician on the debut to a full band member.

I've never quite gotten the full story on exactly why they went with the stylistic changes they did between Logic Will Break Your Heart and Without Feathers. The gist of it I was able to find out was that they didn't want to be lumped in with the sound/scene that they were being compared to - the new wave/post-punk Joy Division-esque sound revival of bands like Interpol and The Killers. So it was decided, from what I can tell, that since Hamelin's vocals didn't fit that style as much Fletcher's did, he would take over singing more of the songs, and they would go for a more "rootsy" approach with the sound. The old, "let's try something different, and see if it still works".

The only problem with that, to me at least, and apparently a lot of others, too, was that it didn't, so much. Personally, I found nothing wrong with the sound of the debut, that Hamelin was a much more limited singer than Fletcher, and that the stylistic shift between records was very jarring. On first listen of Without Feathers, I didn't even think it was the same band I was hearing - and in some ways, it truly wasn't. It took quite awhile for me to get over the changes, and to start accepting the album for what it was, instead of what it wasn't. Even though it was not, at the time, what I was hoping for, it's still a good record, if not a great one. But like me, it took too long for that realization to happen (if at all) for other folks - as the album never even charted in the US, and only charted it's debut week in their native Canada (#51), before completely falling off the charts the following week.

Thankfully, Oceans Will Rise has the band back on a more even keel, and in a direction I prefer.

printerati

Couldn't agree more. The new album release caught me off guard as well; I just happened to notice it on Thursday while browsing through eMusic's "freshly ripped" list. I downloaded it, but haven't had a chance to listen yet.

atlantamoi

This is a freakin' great album! I also was a bit disappointed with their 2nd album, but the new does seem like a cross of the first two and it works. Anyone who enjoys Coldplay, The Doves and The Leaves would do well hearing this recording.

Rocketdog2000

It's still too early to call, but so far, this album is currently leading the pack as my #1 album of the year.