Mechanical Wonder

Ocean Colour Scene | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 1, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ark 21
• ASIN: B00005BJJQ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,397 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Though pop, rather than rock, came to dominate the landscape in the two years since Ocean Colour Scene's previous album, Mechanical Wonder is a stirring reaffirmation of the band's core strengths. Frontman Simon Fowler's wistful blue-eyed-soul vocals ensure that the album's mood of plaintive despair is honestly rather than hysterically expressed. But the group's expansive and crafted musicality provides the perfect counterbalance to the disappointments related in the title track and "Biggest Thing." The summery guitar chords and swaggering rhythm of "Up the Downside," the rich, dreamy string arrangement on "We Made It More," and the cucumber-cool blues swagger of "Give Me a Letter" are all examples of traditional rock that thrives on healthy vibrancy rather than cautious conservatism. --Gavin Martin

Product Description

Japanese edition of the Brit-pop act's 2001 album. 12 tracks including the single 'Up On The Down Side' & the Japanese bonus track 'Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere'. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mechanical Wonder, May 14, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (Leeds England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanical Wonder (Audio CD)

After the slight disappointment of One From The Modern, OCS return to full form with an album that accurately reflects their blistering live shows. While maybe not of the same status as Mosley Shoals or Marchin Already, this record deserves a place in the serious music-lover's collection able to see past the blinkered 'why don't these people use a drum machine?' criticisms.

The band start with their customary killer opening three. Up On The Downside is an upbeat, funky summer track with good old fashioned dancing shoes on. This is followed quickly by the amazingly produced pastoral Who sound of In My Field. Sailing My Boat may not be over imaginitive lyrically, but it's joyous chorus can't fail to lift.

Things slow down a little with the tender and fragile Biggest Thing, and the accoustic ballad We Made It More, both benefitting from superb choruses, and the latter a great string arrangement from Rosie Wetters. Give Me A Letter is Memphis blues combined with grunge (accoustic Nirvana springs to mind here for some reason) featuring some sterling keyboard work from former Style Councilor Mick Talbot.

You Are Amazing is OK, but doesn't quite keep in with the rest. Although atmospehric, it's not quite up to standard. However If I Gave You My Heart is a fantastic love song, again benefitting from some great string arranging from Rosie. The psychadelic rush of Can't Get Back to the Basline sounds like a track that should have been on the 1992 album, and is better than a lot of the stuff there. This leaves us with the 'parting shot' song Something For Me. More formed than it's One From the Modern equivalent, it's still kind of off key with the rest, yet still satisfying.

Get yourself a Mechanical Wonder today. You know you want to!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a wonder indeed, May 5, 2001

By 

Bryan Wilson (11211) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanical Wonder (Audio CD)

it's amazing how much bad press ocs gets in its home country of england. the critics hate them because they refuse to let go of something they love - 60s and 70s rock music. how can you blame them? it was the best time for that; just watch "almost famous" if you need to be convinced. when a band loves what it does, and does it well, it should be admired and respected, and unfortunately much of the uk won't do either, and the vast majority of the hopeless us won't even acknowledge the band. "mechanical wonder" isn't the heart-stopping, definitive, climactic, perfect-statement-of-a-holy-grail-album that so many radiohead fans are looking for. it's just excellent songwriting and musicianship. songs like the sublimely funky single "up on the downside" and "mechanical wonder" are just great songs. people looking for rock-saviors and the like can check their baggage at the door and appreciate this for once. this won't destroy nsync or j-lo once and for all; *nothing* will. it's not complicated - simon sings his heartfelt lyrics a la "in my field" or the beautiful "if i gave you my heart" while steve cranks out his guitar showmanship chops on "give me a letter" and the previously mentioned first single. decidedly more ballad-oriented (ie: acoustic), "mechanical wonder" might not appeal to the bluesy fans of "moseley shoals," but their crafty knack for songwriting is unchanged. maybe this isn't the best album, or ocs isn't the best band in the world, but they certainly are as engaging as the beatles and as consistent as the stones ever were. feel confident buying all but their very first (self-titled) albums.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First US release in 5 years doesn't disappoint, May 1, 2001

By 

Eric (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanical Wonder (Audio CD)

I'll admit I'm a huge OCS fan, so I am completely biased. Butit sure is nice not having to fork over money for an import. This album will be a great re-introduction of OCS to the states. In the 5 years since Moseley Shoals, OCS have mellowed considerably, but Mechanical Wonder still contains a few upbeat songs with driving guitar riffs to keep fans of Riverboat Song happy. It also has fully crystalized the Scene's folksier directions, mostly seen on b-sides up until now. You won't find a better singer/guitarist combo in rock today than Simon Fowler and Steve Cradock. US fans of classic rock like the Who and the Stones should love this, as well as fans of the current crop of roots-rock bands. This is roots-rock with a distinctively British flair. Standout tracks are Up On The Downside, In My Field, We Made It More,... damn it, all of them! And I don't think I've ever heard a more beautiful song than If I Gave You My Heart. If Oasis, Travis and Coldplay can make it big in America, OCS with worlds more talent deserve to make it too.