More than ten years since 1989 when they first arrived from their native Hershey, PA, to make their debut, the members of
the Ocean Blue
remained indie pop kings with a sweet musical demeanor. They were barely out of high school when they inked a deal with
Sire
and their fresh jangle pop came alive on their eponymous debut. However, the start of a new millennium represented a redefining period for
. Founding members
David Schelzel
,
Bobby Mittan
, and
Rob Minnig
had watched fellow bandmate
Steve Lau
leave the band after 1994's
Beneath the Rhythm and Sound
, and welcomed guitarist/keyboardist
Oed Ronne
to take his place. Failed record contracts led the band to release only 1,000 pressings of its fifth album
Davy Jones' Locker
(1999) through its official web site, but things would soon begin looking up. Independent label
March Records
signed the band two years later, reissuing
in spring 2001. Much more men than post-pubescent boys falling in love with the sounds of
the Smiths
U2
Echo & the Bunnymen
, the members of
cast a slight maturity on
.
Schelzel
's songwriting is still dreamy with heavy poetic imagery, and
Ronne
and
Minnig
showcase their own songwriting talents on
"Consolation Prize"
"Been Down a Lot Lately."
They are both melodically charming like
Morrissey
, but don't wholeheartedly embrace the passion found on
The Ocean Blue
Cerulean
. Standout track
"Denmark"
features a drum machine, something not usually found in
's simple acoustics and pop synth beats, and it's a little startling at first.
's angelic brooding and shoegazing reverie are at their finest, so it's a suiting track, leading into the blissful
"Cukaloris."
There are a few sections where
's storytelling could have stretched out just a bit, but
is a decent comeback of sorts for
. The band's liking for jaunty '60s-inspired pop captures the record, and the pop quirkiness may not be fully defined this time around, but
somehow stays the class act to which listeners were introduced all those years ago. ~ MacKenzie Wilson