Customer Reviews

Mechanical Wonder

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

I have never listened to Ocean Colour Scene prior to this album. I have no other album to compare this one to, so what I am about to describe is my first impression which might be useful for new listeners.

I bought the album after I heard the song 'Mechanical Wonder'. Sure there wasn't anything particularly new about the song, but it is blessed with a great sincerity and melody. I have a penchant for mellow music and Britpop has been my consistent supplier thus far.

After listening through the whole album, I wasn't impressed, but neither was I disappointed. It is a very consistent album, there is hardly any departure from one song to the next. They seem to be playing what they know best and the music flows with a great execution and confidence. Is it like listening to twelve tracks of 'Mechanical Wonder'? I don't think so, similar as the songs might be, they do not reflect a malaise or lack of creativity. It is just that they know what they are good at and what they are good at is what they will play.

I would compare their music to Soul Asylum's: sincere, slickly rocking and unpretentious. Would I try another album of Ocean Colour Scene? I would and I hope that I will be as entertained as I am by this one.

Ocean Colour Scenes 5th official album has finally found some balance on what in the past was shakey ground: it's both confident and carefree, and erases any pretentious notions the band formulated and failed at on "One From The Modern". The opening track is simply the best song OCS has ever recorded, and perhaps the best song to come out of the increasingly bleak post-britpop mass of garbage being churned out on both sides of the atlantic. The trademark, vocally driven acoustic numbers are still here, without much change, and with Simon Fowler giving it the same heart and soul as always. Gone are the straight adrenaline rockers ala "Riverboat" and "hundred Mile High"(with the exception of a very "Last Train To Clarksville"-styled firecracker titled "Can"t Get Back To The Baseline"). But for once, on a consistent level, OCS seem confident with their craft. And that's exactly why this album succeeds! Mid-tempo, solid and calculated tracks fall between the ragers and the dreamy, sureal folk-driven numbers, and OCS have finally come across as a group of musicians intent only on satisfying themselves, and anyone else along for the ride is free to come and go as they please. I for one am comfortable sticking around right here with Mechanical Wonder............

Mechanical Wonders has got to OCS best album to date. Being given a US release means that hopefully a wider range of people will be able to benefit from this album. Mechanical WOnder contains tracks like Biggest Things, In My Field, Mechanical Wonder and the UK hit single Up On The Downside. If you have never been a fan of OCS then this will be the album to convert you

Just saw OCS at Irving Plaza in New York - they were brilliant! Probably the best show i've ever seen....this is also a great album, packed with gems. The title track is the standout tune, with you are amazing, sail my boat, biggest thing, and if i gave you my heart....wait a second, that's almost the whole CD! Go buy it, you won't regret the purchase....

The timing of this release could hardly be better, this will be a perfect soundtrack for this summer -- for me anyway. Mechanical Wonder sounds quite effortless when compared to their last two albums, and has great sunny vibe to it. Simon Fowler's voice seems to have gotten better--still slightly reminiscent of George Harrison, but quite expressive in its own way. An impressive, solid album.

In 1996, Ocean Colour Scene released one of the best rock and roll CDs you probably never heard, Moseley Shoals. Moseley Shoals was a mod inspired blast in which Paul Weller served as mentor.

And, as the story goes for other BritPop successes, the band was never on the US radar.

So it went, the band's third and fourth CD, Marchin' Already and One From the Modern, were not even released in the US. Things change. OCS's new CD is Mechanical Wonder (available in the US) and is OCS's most complete work.

The CD has a stand out single Up the Down Side and more than a couple compelling ballads, We Made it More and If I Gave you My Heart. A good soulful piano number You are Amazing and Can't Get Back to the Baseline has a pure 60s pop sound. There are interesting arrangements, In My Field has a cool syncopated piano guitar bass riff (sounds like the Beatles Hey Bull Dog). There are ear candy effects (reverb, feed back, noises, backward guitars, that Strawberry Fields thhwap thhwap thhwap sound, distorted guitars, fuzz bass) throughout that continue to reveal themselves on each close listen.

The band has a solid core at bass and drums and the songs are sung with emotion with lyrics that are worth reading. If that were it OCS would be great, but Steve Cradock's guitar work ranks along with all name-checked greats. Mick Talbot formerly of the Style Council sits in on piano on MW. The overall strength of the CD is in its mix of tracks which flow very naturally not unlike Paul Weller's Wild Wood CD.

The band gets berated for celebrating the past and replaying the Small Faces meet the Beatles. While there are mod themes here, the sonic success of Moseley Shoals, Marchin' Already is not based on blind reliance of those musical or social ideas. On Mechanical Wonder OCS's sound expands those ideas with a new creative energy and passion. It is a triumph.

"Mechanical Wonder" is a very good album by OCS, though not their best ( that price goes to "Marchin` Already") it`s an album that ought not be neglected

It has a terrific opener in "Up On the Downside" one of the most optimistic and rhythmical tunes they have recorded. "In My Field" and "Sail My Boat" are good tracks too.

The melancholy "The Biggest Thing" is a silent ballad, but not one of their best. Next track "We Made it More" is another ballad, but a much better song - a great track.

"Give Me a Letter" shows the boogie side of OCS, solid but quite forgettable.

The title track "Mechanical Wonder" is another highlight; a catchy and optimistic song and OCS when they`re at their best. "You Are Amazing" is a bit like "The Biggest Thing" - a lttle uninteresting.

"If I Gave You My Heart" is a silent waltz; a beautiful recording.
The rocking "Can`t Get Back to the Baseline" is the closest they get to the sound of "Moseley Shoals" on this album.

The album is recommendable alone for songs like "Up On The Downside", "Sail on My Boat", "Mechanical Wonder" and "If I Gave You My Heart" - the rest of the album is just good and solid!