Customer Reviews

North Atlantic Drift

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4 star:		(6)
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With their strongest release since "Marchin' Already," the OCS are back in a big way.

Apart from their usual abundance of classic rock hooks, what's really remarkable about "North Atlantic Drift" is the wide variety of rock styles and influences. "On My Way," with its hard-driving guitar attack and tight horn-section chaser, could have been pulled right off of "Sticky Fingers" or "Exile on Main Street." "For Every Corner" features some neat Beach Boys-style harmonies. "Second Hand Car" and "Question" are a pair of remarkable acoustic folk-rockers. The swelling psychedelic intensity in the coda of "When Evil Comes" suggests the feel, if not the sound, of the Beatles' unforgetable finish to "A Day in the Life." Even some perfectly placed blues harmonica makes an appearance on the chilling "Will You Take Her Love." And a good-natured tribute to the weekend, "I Want to See the Bright Lights," suggesting a mix of 70s country-pop and Sly & the Family Stone, finishes the album with one last musical twist.

OCS refreshingly avoids the punk influences that infect so many of their Brit-Pop counterparts. Their records also avoid the ironic self-consciousness and cynicism of the past decade. The OCS sound is unabashedly straight-forward and sincere, suggesting not only their 60s classic rock forbears, but also the best of what so many music lovers now remember fondly of the 1980s. The best track of this exceptional disc, "Make the Deal," illustrates this perfectly. While drawing from the best traditions of classic rock, it remains unmistakeably their own, with a refrain at once insanely catchy and emotionally moving.

What a shame that, given the nature of today's music industry, neither "Make the Deal," nor any of the other great songs on "North Atlantic Drift," will ever be heard on American radio.

Ocean Colour Scene have always had a lot of potential and on this album they re-realise their full potential and hit back at everybody with an album that lacks a single weak song.

"I Just Need Myself" is the first single to be taken from the album and charted quite highly in the UK singles chart back in 2003. To some it might be a traditional OCS rocker (which it is) but it has a slight edge to it and is a great album opener.

"Oh Collector" is one of 4 songs that could have made good single material but didn't get picked, with a easy going verse and heavy chorus this song really adds quality to the album and has some nice guitar playing by Steve Cradock, and even Oscars drumming is intriguing too. The final chorus elevates the song to near-anthemic status and ends with a unique outro.

The third song is the title track and has an almost George Harrison style slide guitar lick to it, a strong song and also catchy. In fact most songs on "North Atlantic Drift" are catchy and you'll find it hard to forget many of them. This song has lyrics that are quite confusing yet really good to hear and delivered well.

"Golden Gate Bridge" is the song that Noel Gallagher (of Oasis) said he wished he had wrote. A love song that is full of emotion, and again delivered with a huge sounding chorus and some exquisite guitar playing again by Cradock, this could actually be Steve Cradocks best played guitar song ever by OCS. "Golden Gate Bridge" was also the final single to be taken from this album.

Now we are faced with the 2nd single from "North Atlantic Drift". "Make The Deal" is here in its original form (having been re-done for the single release) and complete with a string section and big chorus (yet again) maybe should have been titled "The Real World". Lyrically it attacks the music industry and it's dictatorship approach to musicians.

"For Every Corner" is another of those "should this have been a single?" album tracks. What a great chorus this song has and the build up to it is perfect. You'll want this one playing loud wherever you are for sure.

"On My Way" is a stomping rocky number complete with horn section and catchy chorus (suprised?) seems very much of the style set for driving. Some great guitar playing throughout this song too.

"Second Hand Car" is a song about men and how they take women for granted, what a beautiful song though. The lyrics here are un-faultable and are just brilliant. Ending with a touching guitar solo.

"She's Been Writing" is a huge string led song. I can't say much on it but it is produced very well and the musicianship in it is gorgeous.

"The Song Goes On" has many sides to it and yet is such a strong way to bring the album to a close, especially when the "it depends on who's doorway" section.. I love the slide guitar parts in that section. This is one that goes on repeat.

"When Evil Comes" is my personal favourite on the album and the longest track too. It builds and builds and builds on a droning guitar then comes the tablas and it just is a great way to end the album.

OCS returned to form big time with this album!!!! BUY IT FOR THE SONGS AND THE BONUS TRACKS TOO!!!! It IS worth it.

This album pulls together a lot of what I love about Ocean Colour Scene and I think it's a great one to check out if you want to know what this band is all about. Good lyrics, simple but exhilarating melodies, and a very full sound filled with multiple guitar tracks, rich harmonies, and a great rhythm section. I've heard all of their studio albums and though they've never released anything that is as complete and phenomenal an album as their early 90s release "Mosely Shoals", this is one really comes close. I was somewhat disappointed with "Mechanical Wonder", particularly because it was their first US release in several years, but the Englishmen are back on track and heading in a good direction with North Atlantic Drift.

With North Atlantic Drift, Ocean Colour Scene continue to explore the brand of Northern soul they reinvented in the early 90's and was then made popular by bands like The Verve and Stereophonics. While many of their compatriots have gone on to popularity abroad, OCS have always been a strictly English taste. That will probably remain the same with this sixth studio release. Which is too bad, actually. Though the palette is similar to past releases, North Atlantic Drift is more muscular and consistent than recent efforts. Simon Fowler has written a set of candid, effective lyrics, and he invests them with career-high vocals. The band, especially journeyman guitarist Steve Craddock, matches him with focus. They've always been expert at ballads - that's no different here, especially the lifers' commitment of "Golden Gate Bridge" - but it's the rockers that hold court throughout. Most impressively on opener "I Just Need Myself", about self-sufficiency as a way of life, and the title tune, whose war metaphor is imposed, political, and absolutely relative.

You either love or loathe OCS, abviously I fall into the first category. Simon Fowler's white soul voice, when on form, is reminiscant of the GREAT Steve Winwood, and as usual Steve Craddock manages to belt out some great guitar licks. Best tracks on the album are 'Make the Deal' and 'Second Hand Car'.
If you are a fan of OCS then i would urge to get a copy of there limited Album Live on The RiverBoat (see there website).

I was looking for music on a Damon Fowler and the name Simon Fowler came up....so I thought it would be similar Blues/Swamp Rock kind of music...very wrong...but yet very right.

Simon Fowler is a part of the British music group, Ocean Colour Scene, and they produce some gorgeous, interesting pop rock music. I listened to all of the albums that I could access (some have a limited stateside release) and found this album my favorite (to my taste). I downloaded 7 of the songs to my compilation. I liked I Just Need Myself, Make the Deal, For Every Corner, Second Hand Car, The Song Goes On, Questions and I Want to See the Bright Lights.

Being from "another" generation (the 60's), I found their music remindful of the harmonies of, dare I say, the Beatles and The Hollies from that era but Ocean Colour Scene's sound is all their own. Also, I found several other songs from their albums very good and downloaded them as well. Those are: I Told You So, On the Leyline, Don't Get Me, Two Lovers, You' Never Find Me from "On the Leyline"; Free My Name, This Day Should Last Forever, God's World from "Hyperactive Workout..."; Sway, Deep Blue Ocean and One of Those Days from their first album; You've Got It Bad from "Moseley Shoals" album; Up on the Down Side from "Mechanical Wonder"; It's a Beautiful Thing from "Marchin' Already"; and Yesterday Today from "The BBC Sessions". I find myself listening to these songs over and over again. I recommend them highly.

I bought this CD based on all the positive reviews on Amazon, as I was looking for something new to listen to. Not sure what thread led me to the Ocean Colour Scene, and I knew absolutely nothing about them despite what I think is a pretty broad music base. Am I glad I found them! From the first listen through repeated ones, this is a superb CD.

Although the various musical styles on this CD sound familiar-- lots of classic rock influences throughout-- the sound is still unique and extremely listenable. Kind of like Moody Blues meets Trash Can Sinatras meets Travis, to my ear-- but standing all on its own. Great harmonizing, jangly guitars, anthemic tunes, very heartfelt overall, and a very pleasant sound.

This is just a great overall listen. And I am outside the UK, so at least one listener from distant shores is listening! I am going to get more CD's from Ocean Colour Scene-- the only question is which one should I get next?

"North Atlantic Drift" is another fine collection of songs from Ocean Colour Scene. Like always mostly a combination of melodic ballads and mid-tempo rockers; often dominated by acoustic guitars.

This time the album opens with a great high-energy rocker "Just Need Myself"; a song which was also released as a single.

Next track "Oh Collector" is a more typical OCS song; a ballad with a more heavy chorus and some wild breaks.. Fine catchy tune.

The album continues with another great song. The title track is a mid-tempo song with acoustic guitars and fine vocals.

With "Golden Gate Bridge" the speed goes down: Another ballad with heavy guitars on the chorus.

"Make the Deal" is one of the higlights of the album. A very catchy and commercial tune that should have been a hit-single. OCS at their very best, and probably my favourite track.

"For Every Corner" is another catchy tune; a little hymn-like. I can imagine it could turn into a live favourite.

"On My Way" is a little funky tune; not particularly memorable.

The acoustic "Second Hand Car" is another nice little song; perhaps sounding too similar to some of their earlier acoustic songs.

The string-laden ballad "She's Been Writing" is another personal favourite of mine; though at places the strings tend to be a little too dominating.

The two closing tracks are both nice, but relatively forgettable.

If you like rock & roll you will love this album. I was worried that the band had been gone for so long (touring with Paul Weller) but it turns out that the touring and playing together non stop since their last release has only made the band that much better. If you want to find out where The Strokes or The White Stripes or Coldplay are coming from buy this album.