Oceansize Album: “Effloresce”

This is one of the best new bands I discovered in 2006. They have been described as Progressive Rock, Post-Rock, Indie, or simply Alternative Rock, but that doesn't really matter. All I know is that it is very interesting, fresh, and well-rounded music. The band has a huge dynamic range, from extremely fast and heavy with smooth, powerful vocals to very relaxing and atmospheric.

The music is very melodic, clear and well-produced, the songs always flowing and changing to new and exciting ideas. The guitars are very lush and full sounding, during both heavier and mellow parts.

Oceansize may be slightly more slightly more mainstream and catchy sounding than the average "progressive rock" band; however I don't see that as a bad thing whatsoever. They are still quite adventurous and artistic in their writing style. Many songs, like "Amputee" for example would be extremely radio-friendly and accessible to almost any music fan. However, there is also a good share of 8-10 minute monstrosities. The last two minutes of "Massive Bereavement" accelerates into probably the most hard-rocking part of the album, and most of "Saturday Morning Breakfast Show" contains a few excellent progressive buildups and backflips, possibly the most schizophrenic track. "Women Who Love Men Who Love Drugs" is an eight and a half minute very laid-back tune containing very comforting, cascading guitars that sound beautiful, but perhaps a bit too repetitive after a while.

There are even a few instrumental pieces mixed in. I hardly noticed that when listening to the album as a whole and not watching the tracks. "Rinsed" is an extremely mellow piece with almost no progression or excitement, almost a buffer to catch your breath after "Massive Bereavement" before beginning the next song. "Unravel" is a piano-driven piece with two layers of piano subtlety changing around a little.

Fans of Dredg, Porcupine Tree, Green Carnation, Riverside, Tool, perhaps even Anathema and Katatonia, and any other artistic or progressive rock or metal should definitely check this band out. Also, maybe even fans of more mainstream hard rock bands such as Incubus, Deftones, Collective Soul, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Fuel, etc. will enjoy Oceansize. I know I will be buying their second album soon and look forward to any future releases.

This album is essential. I do not know how Oceansize have managed to get by me for this long, or how they have managed to stay under the radar. This is what music is supposed to do to you when you put on the headphones and press play. What a brilliant album. They have their own thing going on, but I would venture to guess that if you are a fan of Cave In's Jupiter or Antenna, the more rocking side of Radiohead, Porcupine Tree, the new Candiria (What Doesn't Kill You), Eleven, or even Tool or QOTSA, you could find something to love about this album. What an extrordinary piece of work.

Me likey- Very well produced with layered guitars interwoven with electronic sounds pitting psychedelic soundscapes against progressive fusion rock. As the band name suggests the sound is sometimes like Jane's Addiction but with a Pink Floyd meets Tool mentality and an Incubus-like modern sound. Having said that... they still created a very original sound. Catalyst really kicks but the rest of the album is meant to be absorbed slowly as the songs do not follow the strict verse/chorus/verse/chorus formula of pop music but rather take you on musical journeys much like MarsVolta. Translation: you won't hear this on the radio.

L'album Efflorescence de Oceansize est probablement le meilleur album de 2003 qu'il m'ait été donné d'entendre. Les arrangements rappellent les constructions progressives des bands des années 70 tels: King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Yes, Gentle Giant mais, avec un son plus actuel à la Tool, Radiohead et Perfect Circle. Ce qui est remarquable c'est la voix puissante du chanteur et les refrains hyper-mélodiques. Le travail de studio est impécable et le talent de ces musiciens est indiscutable. Simplement inclassable!

Its very rare to come across a band like this these days. These guys are true musicians and obviously very serious in what they do. Lately I've had a really hard time finding good mature bands its mostly little teenyboppers worried more about their tatoos and the way they look rather than the music they create. This band offers you music not fashion isn't that what it's all about?