Quite why Ocean Colour Scene get up so many journalists' noses is a mystery. Could it be because they have become hugely popular despite not being officially endorsed by the scribes in the know? Surely it can't still the be fact that they openly look to the sounds of classic Sixties and Seventies rock for inspiration? Whatever the reasons, OCS carry on regardless, still much loved and still selling out venues wherever they go. So they must be doing something right then.
What they are doing, is writing songs that touch people. Songs of love, of missing loved ones, of wanting to live a simpler, less complicated life, songs that provide the perfect soundtrack to drinking and smoking with friends, to lying in fields watching long, lazy sunsets.
'Mechanical Wonder', the band's fifth studio album, covers all those bases, wrapping them all up in the usual warm, intimate blend of pastoral country/folk strummings and sharp-suited, adrenalin-fuelled, driving rock grooves.
Admittedly it leans more towards the mellow vibery of previous tracks such as 'So Low' or 'Debris Road' or the epic balladry of 'It's A Beautiful Thing' or 'The Waves'. That said, there's at least three anthemic beer-glass-aloft classics to get the sweaty masses going.
Kicking off with uptempo recent single 'Up On The Downside' the album then takes a breather, settling down with the epic sounding, mandolin-laced Who-feel of 'In My Field', the folksome, acoustic cruise of 'Sail On My Boat' -apparently inspired by singer Simon Fowler's country canal walks- and the raw, tender and gorgeous 'Biggest Thing'.
'We Made It More' - while itself a beautiful song, swelling with plaintive strings - is perhaps a slowie too far. Which makes the taught rocky chug of 'Give Me A Letter' all the more welcome, Fowler taking the opportunity to flex his vocal muscle, Mick Talbot providing some cheesy organ and ivory tinklings, and Steve Cradock letting loose some nifty guitar noodlings.
The title track follows, its less than inspired moniker more than made up for by an irresistible, lilting melody with a cracking guitar motif and a singalong chorus and again lyrically yearning for a simpler time - and who hasn't in these consumer-led, frenzied times ladies and gentlemen?
'You Are Amazing' is an honest and open declaration of love to the point of painful vulnerability, shouldered by gentle piano and 'If I Gave You My Heart' - again laced with lovely strings- is a frail and fantastic 'what if?' of a tune.
The last of the upbeat and meaty groovers is 'Can't Get Back To The Baseline' a whack-the-volume-up-full mix of The Monkees 'Last Train To Clarksville' and The Beatles' 'Daytripper', complete with a psychedelic wig out at the end. A corker of a tune and classic OCS. Which leaves the wondrously warm and acoustic strummings of 'Something For Me' to close proceedings.
Possibly the band's best album yet, destined to be loved by fans and loathed by critics, 'Mechanical Wonder' will be the soundtrack of spliffed up barbecues and boozed up afternoons with your mates for this summer and beyond.
To check out the OCS microsite CLICK HERE.
To visit the official Ocean Colour Scene website CLICK HERE.
by Gary Crossing