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The music scene in America, and perhaps
the entire world, is undeniably in the midst of a 21st
century British Invasion. But, while a large percentage of
the bands crossing over are receiving harsh criticism for
their mediocre mimicry of their predecessors, a select few
are tenaciously carving their own path to success. Meet Oceansize,
one of these rare innovators who politely refuse the convenience
of radio-friendly formula, and who opt instead for the uphill
battle of individualism. And never could a band be more aptly
named. Their sound is as vast and diverse as the Atlantic,
with songs that vary from dizzying complexity to hypnotic
minimalism. Despite the stark contrast among songs, however,
there remains an overarching sense of beauty throughout their
catalog, which so many experimental bands tend to cast aside.
Such versatility makes them, without question,
musicians’ musicians, garnering the respect and admiration
of such bands as Elbow, The Cooper Temple Clause,
Haven, and Lift to Experience--all of whom have
asked Oceansize to tour with them--as well as prominent British
music magazines like Circuit and NME, who pushed
to get them a slot at Austin’s 2002 SXSW Music Festival. It
was at SXSW that I met these five musical insurgents, although
their revolution is of a much more benign nature than I had
originally anticipated. When asked about the progressive quality
of their music, lead vocalist/guitarist Mike Vennart
casually replied, "Well, I think every band probably
should be experimental in some way. It’s a natural process,
you know? It doesn’t really work when you force it. It’s not
conscious; it’s just how we work when we get together and
play." Perhaps it is this passive and entirely unselfconscious
approach to experimentalism that gives them the freedom to
create music of such unexplored depth, breadth, and force.
"Have you ever
seen a man play a guitar with a screwdriver?"
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Though all five members of the band came
from various parts of the UK, they met and started playing
together in Manchester. Their evolution into Oceansize was
the genesis of something that had rarely if ever happened
before; a Manchester band that didn’t sound anything like
a Manchester band. In fact, when they first started out in
March 1999, the local scene wasn’t quite sure what to do with
them. One thing was certain, though: they made an impression.
The general consensus among fans and critics alike was pure
shellshock. Oceansize had jolted their eyes and ears right
out of their heads, and they loved it. Their first single,
Saturday Morning Breakfast Show, received high praise
from local and online magazines, as did their follow-up EP,
Amputee, which was released just a few months later
in December 2000. Almost immediately after Amputee,
they were named Best Unsigned Band by the Manchester Evening
News. By the time that they released their A Very Still
Movement EP, they had captured the attention of numerous
bands and industry people throughout England, and were well
on their way to building a sizeable (no pun intended) fan
following.
Not surprisingly, however, it is their live
shows more than their recordings that have perpetuated the
buzz. Their natural, unaffected creativity translates into
a raw power on stage that leaves people breathless. As one
fan put it, "They don’t wear costumes, have a gimmick
or a tailor-made ‘fuck you’ attitude; with Oceansize it’s
in the air and it’s in the music. Even if this is not your
particular style, you cannot help but appreciate their genius."
They possess a unique combination of intellect and intuition
which results in music that can move from the complex polyrhythmic
layering of songs like "Catalyst", to the austere
but beautiful "A Very Still Movement", which dispenses
with time signatures altogether.
But no matter how impressive the instrumental
skill in this band, Vennart’s vocal abilities cannot be upstaged,
not even by Mark Heron’s stunning drums or Jon Ellis’
ubiquitous bass. That is not to imply that vocals dominate
the sound--not by any means--but that his voice has an equal
share in its ingenuity and flexibility. Like the gamelan music
of Indonesia, Vennart uses his voice more like an instrument
within the music rather than a prominent figure above it.
The versatility required to do this is nothing short of mind-blowing,
as he follows the guitars from fierce, screeching torment
to soothing, trance-like murmuring to meandering, ethereal
howls, across the full gamut of their ever-evolving repertoire.
In short, every musician, every instrument, every part of
this band is both necessary and equal.
Oceansize feels that it is their relationship
with each other that yields this parity. "It’s important
that we share a oneness of mind," explained Vennart,
"and we do. This is going to sound a bit cheesy, but
our instruments are an extension of our personalities…so when
we get together it just sort of works for us somehow.
It’s just what’s in our heads, and when we play together it
just comes out."
Setting Sail
Three months after their first jaunt to
the United States for SXSW, and just over three years after
their first gig on home turf, Oceansize signed a deal last
week with long-standing indie label Beggar’s Banquet,
who has been home to the likes of The Charlatans, The Cult,
Mercury Rev, and Luna. They’re heading back into
the studios to record their first EP for Beggar’s, which should
be released sometime in early to mid-fall. From there they
are planning on touring the UK relentlessly, and hopefully
crossing the Atlantic once again for their first full assault
on the United States.
And their timing is excellent. With America
being more receptive to international acts than ever before,
but tired of the clichéd "bedwetter" music
that has inundated the scene in recent years, it is ripe for
the picking. So is Oceansize making plans for world domination?
Not exactly. "We’re open to every possibility,"
says Vennart, "We’re in a very scary place right now
because the kind of music we play is very risky. It’s definitely
not something that’s guaranteed to get us on the radio. Not
that we’re against music like that, but that’s not where we
are right now. Whenever we’ve tried to play a pop song it
just hasn’t worked for us; you really can’t force something
like that. We’re just doing what we want to do and not what
we think other people want to hear; we’ll just have to see
where it takes us."
- Emily Strong
Talk Back
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