Sky And The Ocean

The Volebeats | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 2009)
• Original Release Date: April 21, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Safe House
• ASIN: B000001XV7
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,212 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars quiet country harmonies, August 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Sky And The Ocean (Audio CD)

The Volebeats are a lesser-known, lumped-into-the alternative-country-scene band. But they're better than most of those bands. They actually play pop, too. Sky and the Ocean is an excellent album, sounding at times like a cross between old REM, Son Volt, and Chris Isaak. The album opens with "Somewhere in My Heart" a midtempo song of longing that sets the tone for what follows: Rickenbacker twang, quiet hurt harmonies, and understated musicianship. The second song, "It's Alright," showcases the band's ability to write strummy pop singalongs and also highlights pretty, inspired guitar melodies reminiscent of the godhead playing on "There She Goes" by the La's. Lots of bands try that, few get you feeling transcendent like that with a few picks of the Rickenbacker. The Volebeats pull it off. The album's strength, however, remains the face-down-in-a-beer melancholy of such songs as "Two Seconds," where the narrator implores that two seconds of a girl's time is all he needs to manage; "Drifting," with its woozy pedal steel, fuzzy beating-heart bass, and near-sleep sadsack lyrics; and "Thought I was the One," with its vocals and piano pain of the rejected. Another pop standout is "Annabel," which opens sounding musically like a track off Chris Isaak's "Forever Blue" and boasts a lovely, longing harmony on the chorus. Lyrics (like "I was lost until you were found" off of "Annabel") seem a weak point, I suppose, but the Volebeats are happy not reinventing the wheel or breaking down any artistic walls. So we can't really hold that against them. Besides, who really likes pompous stuff that tries too hard, anyway? If you like drinking beers or just chilling out to albums like "Trace" or "Automatic for the People," you'll be very pleased to have uncovered this great, simple album. I wish this album was in a bar juke near my house. No such luck. I'm still stuck with crap like Journey and Meatloaf.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Only Countryish CD In My Collection, March 23, 2000

By 

Eric "pop culture junkie" (FERNDALE, MI, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sky And The Ocean (Audio CD)

This is a well-rounded, great sounding record. All the songs are simply bittersweet nuggets - lots of subtle acoustic guitar, airy drum work, shimmering lead guitar, and gorgeous vocal harmonies. The two songwriters have complementary styles that only improve with repeated listens. And contrary to what the first reviewer said, the lyrics are excellant, if simple. Trust me, these guys are the kings of the "lonesome" country love song and this is their best effort yet.