Almost a year to the day
of the release of their amazing self-titled debut EP, Ocean Of Stars unleash a
new wax for us lovers of psychedelic and heavy rock with an "out
there" twist. And this instrumental Austin
quartet are going from strength to strength with this single, 'Great Divide'.
Still sounding like themselves, the two changes from last time are the performance
is even better and the two main ingredients, rock and psychedelia, have been
enhanced. And that’s what any music lover wants from their favourite bands.
Hold on to your sound but make small, yet significant changes with each
release. Ocean Of
Stars has done exactly
that and subsequently cemented their status as a band well above the rest.
Keeping a mid-paced tempo
throughout with a mix of Americana,
blues and heavy rock as the foundation, the psychedelic parts bloom when the
saxophone joins. Soaring and floating it brings out a sense of serenity and
majesty as the band takes us on a trip along the Great Divide. Well, that’s my
interpretation because I honestly don’t know if they aim to portray the
grandeur of The Great Divide that extends from the Bering Strait in Alaska all the way down to the Strait of Magellan in Chile. Or if
they simple want to depict the vastness of their home state, Texas. Regardless, Ocean Of Stars
has painted a fantastic painting of traveling across vast expanses of land in
solitude and it is amazing!
The conductors, or
drivers, if you like, on this journey are Melanie Martinez and Ric Furley, on
bass guitar and drums respectively. They keep our vessel on a steady and
continuous roll while maintaining the engine so nothing happens to it. Not only
that, but their engineering allows Danny G, guitar, and Derek Rodrigues,
saxophone, to be our guides, explaining all the wonders we see along the way.
Taking turns playing amazing solos while the other one keeps the excellent
rhythm going, it’s no small wonder why these Texans had me captivated from the
word go.
If you like music that
challenges you, as well as creating beautiful visions, look no further. Ocean Of Stars are a rare breed that follows
their own path completely. Not wanting to hold back in favour of instant
stardom, they stick to their guns and subsequently their integrity. What they
create is amazing music that should be heard and favoured by the masses, so
don’t miss out. Look them up and buy their music, you won’t be disappointed
dear waveriders!
-Swedebeast
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