Customer Reviews

Everyone Into Position

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I heard a track of this on KEXP and decided to buy it. What an amazing adventure it is. I am a fairly hard core avant-progressive rock fan. My tastes run from Henry Cow to Thinking Plague to Sleepytime Gorilla museum to Meshuggah to Messaien. This album is nothing like any of those but it is not afraid to make full artistic use of advanced rhythms and harmonies. There have been plenty of modern bands to incorporate the strengths of prog rock (Mars Volta, Farquhar, Radiohead, Lush, etc). Oceansize seems to do it in a way that will make it palatable to the common MTv weaned ear. The harmonic tension and release toward the end of the CD is powerful. This deserves to be played at high volume on a great stereo (with real bass).

Oceansize's "Everyone Into Position" is perfect. It really is. From the churning, heavy drive of "Heaven Alive" to the beautiful "Music For a Nurse", you get a wonderful modern rock album sharpened perfectly to challange the listener and provide neverending entertainment.

There is ambience, there are heavy guitars. There are long songs, there is a mesmerizing three-guitar attack. What more could you ask for? Every song stands apart a piece of art, but when listened to in sequence, is especially awesome. And "Ornament / The Last Wrongs" is one of the best songs I have heard come out of a modern rock band. It's perfect.

This cd should be released in the states in February. So hold tight and get it then! Otherwise, you can pay 30 bucks for the import...(it is worth it...)

This album is sensational. Standout track for me is "meredith" with it's seriously sinister feel and lyrics.
These guys really know how to put together deep, emotional landscapes primary driven by the 3 guitar attack.
Comparisons to Sigur ros in the instrumental regard are warranted. The vocals are slightly Daniel johns from silverchair in style. Far more understated. The drumming is excellent, extremely creative. This is worth every cent.

I have listened to this album several times on napster, and i must say that it is outstanding. The sheer scope of the album is impressive enough. But add the fact that every song has intriguing guitar riffs and interesting vocals and you get one of my favorite albums in a while.

The Band shows a considerable amount of diversity in their music. They can go from pounding guitar riffs, to floating music that carries you away to a happy place. Some of the songs sound very much like metal, whereas others are comparable only to pink floyd. In a few songs they actually change the mood of the music mid-song. I really like all the songs except for the final track, which is just a little too long and dragged out. The rest of the album is exceptional, and i am going out to buy it as soon as i can find somewhere that sells it for less than thirty bucks. I really want to know where I can get my hands on a copy of this CD that isn't an import. Anyway, it probably is worth the thirty bucks, but its thirty bucks I don't have.

I will admit that recently I have been a little disengaged from new artists, having become too skeptical that anybody out there is still coming up with new, interesting ideas. Oceansize is a band that is clearly breaking that mold by making thoughtful, forward-thinking rock music. Granted, there is nothing absolutely groundbreaking about this band, but there is enough creativity and excitement going on to make this one of the freshest new artists I've heard in some time.

Everyone Into Position is a great follow-up to their debut album Effloresce. It has the perfect balance of atmosphere and energy. It flows very well, and does not have a boring moment. This album manages to be musically interesting and stimulating, and at the same time remain accessible and catchy. Imagine if Radiohead implemented heavier guitars rather than wierd electronics, and you'd have Oceansize.

What Everyone Into Position does better than most albums is combine structured, straightforward rock music with beautiful atmospheric jams. It is an all-around great musical experience, and given the quality of their first two albums, I am really anticipating their next release.

i wrote a rather careless review of this on the 'uk' site just after it came out. hopefully this will be a more measured approach. anyway, this quite simply is the best album of this decade (the noughties or whatever the feck they're calling it). it's a demanding album, just give it a chance and let it suck you in. impressive since their debut album was also astonishing.
for the uninitiated, oceansize comprises of three guitarists. the music has been described as prog but to be frank i haven't a clue what that means. all i know is that the sound is complex, and they're backed up by an incredible drummer. they're not for those with a short attention span, nor for those who like their music simple. other people can do the comparisons. track by track then...
'charm offensive'. similar to tool in that it builds and builds. a complex tune worth waiting for 10/10
'heaven alive'. single #1, the most radio friendly track on the album. prefer this to the edited single version 10/10
'homage to a shame'. the heaviest track on the album. no quarter 10/10
'meredith'. the only track i don't like, despite countless listens 6/10
'music for a nurse'. haunting, ethereal 9/10
'new pin'. sinle #2. probably not what i would have chosen but still good 8/10
'no tomorrow'. my fave track. on the face of it fairly straightforward but they add a couple of twists 10/10
'mine host'. odd one this, the only track to clock in at under 5 mins, no vocals for the first 2 mins. beautiful 10/10
'you can't keep a bad man down'. one of the 'uk' reviewers likened this to a triumph coming out of chaos (paraphrasing here). i would compare it to cardiacs 'eat it up worms hero' (which oceansize have covered). just listen out for the bit where the drumer starts whackng the sh*t out of everything in sight 10/10
'ornament/ the last wrong'. again, just beautiful. likened this to a hymn, similar in mood to cardiacs 'home of fadeless splendour'. a hand over heart moment 10/10
also managed to see them live last year (leeds), very impressive. they dedicated 'one of the none' to me, too - which was nice of them. strike me dead on the spot i'd have gone a very happy man. here's to the future.

For those in need of some enlightment, Oceansize is one of the most talented and underrated bands in the world.
I just finished listening to "Everyone Into Position", and I can barely find the words to describe how wonderful this album is.
Somewhat more accessible, in my opinion, than their two jaw-dropping previous efforts, "Effloresce" and "Music For Nurses" (because probably a bit less metal), be certain that you won't find anything cheap or easy on this record, as Oceansize's creations are complex and incredibly inspiring. It is simply impossible to even consider the "skip" button, because each track is so rich and non-linear, you just need to know what happens next.
Everything just sounds so damn right...
Although this band can't really be compared to anything else, for those you've never heard of it, think of the best elements that dredg, Muse, Biffy Clyro, Sigur Ros and Tool combine.
Each of their releases is a masterpiece, and "Everyone Into Position" is no different.

With Oceansize deciding to call it a day in February 2011 we are now left with their legacy of just 4 CD releases (plus a live box set and a batch of EPs and singles). This, their second CD release, was actually the last one I acquired and it took me the longest time to get into. That was surprising as the band themselves have acknowledged that they tried to be more concise and accessible on Everyone Into Position. Despite my initial frustration I presevered (after all this is OCeansize we're talking about - how could they create a dud record?) and I was eventually rewarded. Everyone Into Position is typically excellent Oceansize. Sure they may have trimmed a few tracks down and provided a number potential single release-type songs but their massively high standards for composition and performance have been maintained. Highlights for me are the thundering 'Charm Offensive', the softly underspoken yet threatening 'Meredith' and the single 'New Pin' which is 5 minutes and 11 seconds of pure pop/rock perfection.

I have been a devotee of prog-rock since its inception, way back in the late 60's. I have worn out multiple copies (and formats) of Yessongs, for one. I never thought I would find a band that surpassed them. But then about a year or so ago I was listening to Pandora and up came a cut from this album (if you can still call it that). I also got hooked up with Porcupine Tree, but Oceansize is special. I may rate Frames higher than this and Efflorescence a tad lower, but they are all 5 star. Are there any bad cuts between them?

Lush, intricate rhythms, mesmerizing lyrics and a clean sound. What more do you want?

Oceansize's second album `Everything into Position' did more than just reassure their fans that they didn't want to rely on the success of first album `Effloresce'. The Manchester quintet have grown and matured as a band, creating an album which has expanded their musical horizons as well as creating an unsuspecting fan base along the way. As 4th track `Meredith' appeared in the US TV show `The OC'.

The strength and depth of this album is a clear step up from their debut. The band appears tighter and the songs feel more structured and better developed. The album can be split into two halves with a soft side and a heavy side. The soft side will take you to relaxing and peaceful place, like a January detox. The heavy side on the other hand will make you want to pick up an air guitar and thrash it until your arms are so sore you can't play another note. One thing that is for sure though is that this is great progressive rock music and although they've still got a bit to go before they can reach the accolades of current progressive rock heavyweights Porcupine Tree and The Mars Volta; if they keep up this kind of standard, it won't be long till they are joining them.

The soft side of the album, in my opinion displays their best work to date with the 2 stand out tracks of the album; `Music for a Nurse' and `Ornament/Last Wrongs'. Now you may not realise this but `Music for a Nurse' was used as part of the Orange mobile network provider's advertising campaign on TV. Although it is a good taster of the track, it really does not give this 8 minute plus epic its true glory it so rightfully deserves. There is something about this song. The musical backdrop is one in which many post rock acts would aspire to make. It is the slow pace of the song which creates such a massive and sweeping sound. Add to this Vermont's glorious vocals and it just makes the song complete. `Music for a Nurse' is a fitting title for the track too as it would be the perfect track for a nurse to sit back and unwind too after a stressful or busy day at the hospital as it is very relaxing and easy on the ears. For me, this song makes the album so special. Due to its length it was never going to get the radio airplay it deserved which shows the problem with radio rather than with Oceansize. Hopefully one day this song will be fully appreciated, but in reality that will be the day that people who work in radio realise people want to hear songs more than 4 minutes long.

The other epic track on the soft side of `Everyone into Position' is album closer `Ornament/Last Wrongs'. The dual track is a magical way to finish an album. The track opens with a gentle slow moving riff where silence is used after each movement. The song slowly builds up until Vermont and the other band members do the `ah ah ah' bit followed by a much heavier riff. Probably not the best description of it, but once you hear it will make sense. The track then has a great crossover link as the song turns into `The Last Wrongs' as other band members join Vermont on vocal duty in a choir type effect setting off with `Signs the Signs invisible'. Once again the track starts off slowly then builds up to a crashing climax as Vermont cranks up the vocals with `And yours is to just sustain'. This is one of the best endings to an album I have heard to an album in a long time. From album opener `Charm Offensive' right through to this song and `I am the Morning' and `Long Forgotten' from `Effloresce'; it is clear that Oceansize pay particular attention to the beginning and endings of an album as if the tracks are made with the positioning in mind. While many bands will argue over track order it as if Oceansize's pre-planning make this task the easiest of them all.

As you can see from `Music for a Nurse', it is not just the beginning and ending of this album that makes it great but they also have great variety in between. The highlights of the heavier side of the album are `Heaven Alive' and `Homage to a Shame'. What I love the most about Oceansize's rockier songs is that not only do they try not to cram them down to three minutes and let the song expand naturally but Vermont's vocals are upped a notch while still being in his range where as other singers would lose control over some of the notes. Vermont is clearly in control as he blasts out `This release inside of me, Is like my heaven calling' on `Heaven Alive'. On `Homage to a Shame' it is the great guitar work which takes centre stage as the quiet loud technique is used to great effect and the loud bits make it easily the heaviest track on the album. For me the technique makes the impact on the listener even greater. If you listen carefully through earphones you can also hear whispering on certain parts of the track which adds a nice touch as well as depth to the track along with the screaming towards the end of the track which acts as a great climax.

Overall this is a fantastic follow up album. They have a bit of a way to go before cementing their place amongst the great prog bands but if they continue to make albums like this surely it won't be long. From a selfish point of view though I just want this band to stay small as seeing them in smaller venues is a mesmerising experience. But wherever you go to see them you can be safe in the knowledge that the person standing next to you has a great taste in music.