Ocean Colour Scene Anthology

Ocean Colour Scene Anthology

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Often referred to as "Englands finest Indie band", this triple-disc set is an interesting journey through Ocean Colour Scene's output. In roughly chronological order it marks the changing styles and moods of this accomplished four-piece from Birmingham. You could certainly argue that OCS have not received the recognition they deserve. Their fans would say that they consistently outshone their indie contemporaries Blur and Oasis. The first clutch of tracks on the Anthology are from their eponymous debut album and are largely conventional, unexciting and uninspiring Brit-rock. The album was recorded three times with three different producers before it was released in early 1992, and I imagine that the sparks of genius were efficiently flattened in the process. It's a shame to start the collection like this as it might not encourage listeners to persevere and miss out on the gems that follow. The material taken from their second album Moseley Shoals is altogether more interesting and more developed. This includes the deep down R&B "Riverboat Song", the tune that was played to death on Channel 4's 'TFI Friday'. "The Day We Caught The Train" is one of those quintessentially English pop tunes, in the mould of Paul Weller or The Small Faces. An absolute joy to listen to, this really is Ocean Colour Scene at their confident and swaggering best. "Hundred Mile High City" and "Travellers Tune", taken from their third album, Marchin' Already, are catchy tunes inspired by early 70s rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones. But for all their good time rock 'n' roll sounds, some of the songs here are just a bit close to power-ballad cheesiness for my liking. The depths are plunged with "It's a Beautiful Thing", the final track on Marchin' Already, which sounds like a mid-80s overblown theme tune to a Hollywood blockbuster. The songs that follow were originally released in 1999 on One For The Modern and have a more mellow rootsy 60s vibe. "So Low", "July" and "I Am The News" feel more mature but less exciting than their earlier material. The mood turns more poppy and mainstream with tracks taken from Mechanical Wonder released in 2001. Even though their solid musicianship and strong songwriting skills come through, it feels a bit dull and uninspired, though never hard on the ear. There is the odd exception, however, like the excellent "Falling To The Floor" which evokes their earlier hard rocking style, but the anthology limps to a rather damp conclusion. Ocean Colour Scene are a classic indie band who continue to produce accomplished music. You may find it more satisfying to listen to their early albums rather than this anthology. But if you want to take the long road this release still makes for an interesting journey.