Premiere: The Ocean Party – Vein, plus Interview

Coming just months after the release of ‘Beauty Point’, the seventh album from Australian sextet The Ocean Party, the band have wasted no time in recording a new EP, titled guilt. More restrained and country tinged that their previous releases, its a nod to the likes of Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen.

Ahead of its release, we spoke to Lachlan Denton from the band

Tell us about your new EP, it was recorded in one day, right? Was that planned?
Our last few albums have been getting more expansive, and for lack of a better word, ‘Hi-Fi’. We had a bunch of songs floating around and were keen to do something simpler. Just the band in a room, and a smaller pallet of sounds.

Did it mean you had to work in a new or specific way?
We knew how to play everything before we went in and we knew we couldn’t be fussy. That was part of the appeal of doing it in one day. We wanted some voice cracks and bung notes. At least for me, they end up being the things I learn to love the most.

And it comes not long after ‘Beauty Point’ – were these songs outtakes from those session, or written for that album, or new songs?
Some of the songs are far older than ‘Beauty Point’, and some were new. I’m sure some of these songs could have been on an album if they were recorded in a different way but others felt like they needed a different approach. I’m happy with how they came out.

There are hints of Springsteen and Neil Young about the songs – is that fair? What was influencing you at the time?
The drum roll that brings the drums in on ‘Vein’ is a straight rip of ‘Hungry Heart’ by Springsteen. I’d say there is definitely a Neil Young feel to the whole EP. But, for the most part I’m always trying to rip off Paul Kelly.

And the song ‘Vein’, tell us about that? We think its rather brilliant.
I guess it’s about the divide between what we say and what we do. The frustration of feeling a disconnect with the world around us. As I get older I want to be able to feel the fullness of an experience, but, in a sense, I think the guard we learn to put up to protect our self from pain makes this really hard.

And your plans for the rest of the year?
We’re recording a new record in a country town called Yass in a couple of weeks. That will come out before the end of the year and we’ll tour Australia then and hopefully Europe/UK in 2019.

We’re delighted here at Backseat Mafia to premiere the latest track to be released from the record, Vein. It’s beautifully melodic, with the slide guitar swooning over the top of everything, but there are other parts at work – the guitar lines that weave in and out, and the piano chords helping to turn the corners all help to make it irresistible. Never mind Paul Kelly, or even the slight feeling of Lloyd Cole there is in the track, The Ocean Party are making a name for themselves in their own right.

Check out the track, here