SBSR: One Hundred Year Ocean “Poison Smoak”

One Hundred Year Ocean “Poison Smoak”

<1> “Okay Sure Yeah” – We begin with some light guitars, bass and drum.   This sounds like the beginning to a Commercials album I have.    And now we’re getting the music quieter and some vocals are coming in softly.   As they kick in louder I am reminded of The Casket Lottery for some reason.  He likes his bedroom blanket fortress for sure.  And now some fuzz is kicking in.   This song is really good and not just because of the name.   Around 2:45 it kicks into some Midtown-anthem-like “Who are you? What are you doing here?” lines, which just beat all.   This could very easily become one of my new favorite bands at this point in the game. 

<2> “Poison Smoak” – Well, this song is coming in with the rock and the keys so it has that sound of… I don’t know, The Rentals, Schatzi and Ultimate Fakebook I guess?  It’s getting into some bass lines and I’m reminded of “Stacy’s Mom has got it going on” (Bowling for Soup)   This has a partial 90s not-quite grunge sound to it.   And the singer just said my name.   Wow and now it’s going really poppy in the chorus and the addition of the happy-go-lucky female vocals just disinterest me.   Please sound more like Soul Asylum or whoever and less like that one band everyone wants to be like.

<3> “1576” – And if I wasn’t watching I wouldn’t know we just transitioned into the next song.   That last song seemed like just a verse than a chorus, which was nice.  We’ve got some nice guitar work going on here, as I’m realizing I probably tell too many backup singers to be quiet when I review music.   Burned CD-Rs are illegal, mister!   I liked this song until those female vocals came in again.   It’s all cool and then starts sounding like Straylight Run or something.   Not that Straylight Run is bad, but they already exist, so why is this necessary?   How about we, you know, just do some straight up Casket Lottery sounding rock?

<4> “Glendale & Colegate & Deerwalk” – Once again we transition into the next song with me barely catching it.   In spite of the female vocals I object to, this is one of the best pieces of music I’ve listened to in quite some time, really.   This song just flat out rocks.  “I’m only concerned with what I can get away with”  - Awesome line.    And just like that this song is over.   Damn that was short.   Please tell me this band has more music out there for me.