There was a starting line for this review, but then Alan Thicke was on the TV and I was saddened to see it wasn’t a Growing Pains rerun, just some hidden camera show. Back to the task at hand, so today I yesterday afternoon I was listening to Over the Ocean’s Be Given to the Soil on the bus on the way to a lunch date (never romantic) and then the record felt a bit murky, but listening to it again in the middle of the night while the rest of world sleeps, is downright terrifying.
One might classify this post-rock, I’d say it was more that artsy rock. It takes you through a haunted house, but not one of guts and gore, but one of suspense and eerie undertones. Imagining walking through the halls of this place I have you thinking about and hearing a song like “Arguing Philosophies” or “Herons” playing. It’d cause you to think a spirit was lurking behind you, ready to pounce on your and take your existence away. Being the kind of person that I am, I know Be Given to the Soil wouldn’t be my first choice when picking my “go to” music. A lot of the songs were instrumental based, so really, I only left the record liking a couple; “Riverbed” and “Owl.”
Over the Ocean is for people who like things a little darker in life. You feel the rain is the only acceptable weather and you own a lot of old Nine Inch Nails records from back in the day, but have matured over the years and wouldn’t mind something a little softer on the ears like Be Given to the Soil. That is, except “God In My Own Image,” which comes out of nowhere and reminds you Over the Ocean’s a rock band at their core. If you sound like the above or are into bands like Prawn and Athletics, then make sure to get your hands on Be Given to the Soil, out now on Spartan Records.
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