:: oceancolourtheme :: the hyperactive workout for the flying squad - exclusive first review

A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad Cover

Please Kindly Note:

This CD will not be shared, ripped to mp3, given away, sold, hired or lent out, please do not mail me requesting copies etc., as refusal often offends. No means No. The album is released in March on Sanctuary Records. Its going to be the soundtrack to the year, go buy it.

Conclusion:

This album shows OCS as fantastic all round musicians, as outstanding individuals, this is a fans band and once again they have delivered, as OCS fans we all know the quality of the back catalog of tunes, this album is a progression from that of the OCS sound with freshness and new direction, new guest appearances by renowned artists, great covers and a general ‘bulldog’ spirit about the place means this isn’t going to fail to leave you with a grin as wide as a very wide thing. Get it, put it on repeat, its going to be in your stereo all summer long. I would rank this higher than N.A.D as an album but not quite surpassing Moseley Shoals.

Although it will be automatically panned by the usual parties (Nme etc) and it will be hard work to get decent radio play from the larger stations, the album has the quality to deliver, lets hope we, the fans, can get it the recognition it deserves, tell your gran, your mum, your mates, there mates to buy this album, spread the word, the boys are back in town...

The album title derives from a brief cafe stop during one of the long drawn out recording sessions for the album, when the bands attention was turned to the presenter on the Radio, introducing the next song with the line, “and this one is the Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad” the band then thought, “we’ll ‘ave that” and so the title was born.

Having a funky title means nothing if the songs are’nt there to back it up, fortunately, they started off by getting a great producer by the name of Dave Eringa, whose previous work includes albums for Idlewild, Manic Street Preachers and Ash amongst others. Mix this with OCS’s 130+ previous songs and 15 years of experience together and you have all the ingredients for

a top class album. Read below for a track by track account of how the album fares, and read the conclusion to see why you will be 1, counting down the days until release date and 2, counting down until you hear these songs live. (Review © www.oceancolourtheme.co.uk)

Review Stats:
Each Track Listened to > 15 Times through Arcam Alpha 8 powered Eltax Liberty 7+’s over the course of one week.

1, Everything Comes at the Right Time: (3:48)

Also known as I, me, me, me, this was written in early 2004 and was one of the first tracks to be recorded, it starts with wailing guitars leading into Simon’s catchy lyrics, which sounds almost shouted out in places, this is another foot tapping song, a great guitar riff flows through highlighted with a fantastic beat from Oscar and after the long up-tempo chorus section slows down to an almost orchestral ending. This could have been a contender for first single, being very upbeat and fits in with the current guitar band trend.

2, Free My Name: (2:40)

The first song on the album is the first single to be released from the album, its in a similar vein to ‘I Just Need Myself’ in being a radio friendly upbeat song to launch the album, the drumming intro leads into the emotive lyrics, a soaring chorus backed with a classic stepped harmony, wailing guitars lead into Simon at his best. Its the type of tune you inadvertently start tapping your foot along to almost immediately, great choice for the first single, this should get OCS noticed again and on the airwaves.

3, Wah Wah: (3:32)

This song, originally written by George Harrison, is completed admirably by OCS, they have applied the OCS sound to it and it suits it to a tee, I have to say Simon’s singing holds up better than George’s, which is in itself a huge achievement, its always going to be hard to live upto the billing of a Beatles song, but this is an excellent cover. It starts off and sounds very Stone Roses-esque, before Simon’s superb delivery of the lyrics, at the end its Steve Cradocks turn to shine, with a virtuoso performance on the guitar with his R&B Soaked Riffs that would sound amazing live. The song is also two minutes shorter than the original.

4, Drive Away: (4:42)

This song is one of the songs that OCS sometimes do, initially, it appears to be neither outstanding nor mediocre, just middle of the road, its got all the ingredients to be good, a great ‘raw’ guitar riff, accompanied by organ music a’ la ‘the waves’ building into the chorus, then developing with some of Steve’s sublime guitar skills, it ends up being, after a few listens, a very good track.

5, I Love You: (3:29)

Most of all you would have heard this on the live album and can therefore form your own opinion, at the end of the day, its one of those OCS songs, that you either love or hate. The track has benefitted from the studio development in the arrangement but is still dominated by Simon’s rousing chorus of I love you.

6, This Day Should Last Forever: (3:05)

One of the earliest tracks to be written, this was tested out on the small acoustic tours of 2004, and also featured on the live album ‘One for the Road’ produced from the summer festival season. The album track has strengthened into a storming track, the fiddle played by John McCusker on this gives it an Irish, folky feel to it, and it really effects the track, and in a positive way, the whole feel of the song. The chorus has, what sounds like a Hammond organ in, which melds with the fiddle to give this a kind of upbeat, yet folky feel to it. I can see this being definitive single material. Excellent Track.

7, Move Things Over: (5:09)

A slow paced, ballad like song, not the best song on the album, I tried very hard to like it but after many, many listens I was’nt feeling the love for this song, would be a good chilled song to relax to. This is also the longest song on the album, an epic ballad.

8, Waving not Drowning: (3:20)

This song was originally written in 2003 by Simon, after reading this poem by Stevie Smith, this track features Jools Holland on Piano and is superb example of great arrangement, upbeat lyrics, Simon on harmonica and is an uplifting, catchy chorus, it also continues the nautical theme of previous songs ‘Sail on my Boat’ and ‘Mariners Way’ which is possibly a metaphor for being lost and then finding direction, or that Simon likes Sailors!! (joke)

9, God’s World: (3:21)

This track features Paul Weller guesting on guitar with Carleen Anderson providing the backing vocals, whilst foxy was at the lodge recording the album, he rewrote all the words to better fit in with the way the song was developing, it starts off with Oscar on the bongo’s, before building up, a distinctive ‘fuzzy’ sound which runs throughout, with a psychedelic wailing guitar overlaid with Simon’s lyrics taking over and will have you singing along after the first listen. Another possible single choice and will be amazing live.

10, Another Time to Stay: (4:56)

Strumming guitar opens out to a ballad like tune, with a catchy ‘oh yeah’ chorus which slows down to the central acoustic sounding section before building up at the end into a huge wall of sound, violins, guitar, drums with Simon singing ‘this is another time to stay’ over the top. The second longest song on the album, I can see this being a classic in years to come.

11, Have you got Right: (2:01)

This song will be amazing acoustic, foxy on stage, him and his guitar, this album version is arranged simply and lets Simon’s passionate singing ‘Have you got the right, to lay your burden on me?’ to come to the fore. A Standout track, strong lyrics heightened by the guitar work. I guarantee you will be singing along on the first listen.

12, Start of the Day: (3:47)

This cover of the Real People Song is taken to new heights by OCS, I must admit, the day before I heard OCS’s take on this song, I listened to the Realies version, which is very good, I was wondering how OCS could make it better, the arrangement has been tweaked in the chorus, making this perfect single material and definitely the most catchy chorus hook on the album, it is going to be a crowd favourite if played at the gigs and a fantastic way to finish the album, leaves you on a high, this has the potential to be a huge hit and is, in my opinion, the best song in years.

13, My Time: (3:18)

This song is a cover of a record written by Reggae Legend Bob Andy, a laid back Oscar performs lead vocals and it sounds like he has been doing it for decades, a very accomplished performance, sounding fresh, with a simple guitar backing and groovy bass line allows Oscars rarely heard vocals coming to the fore, it is initially strange to hear an OCS tune sound this way, Oscar’s voice being several levels deeper than Simon’s but it just goes to show the hidden depths of Oscar’s talent. Foxy has got some competition!. One of my favourites on the album.

I will update the review after two weeks with my further impressions, so as to get a further view on how the album fares longer term. Track Reviews will be posted simultaneously in conjunction with ocs.com album microsite 30 second song clip releases, as agreed with Chris Cradock.