- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
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MojoA musical odyssey across a real and imagined landscape of mountains and cities, dreams and memories. [May 2005, p.95]
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The air of two songwriters on rare form, confidently challenging each other to greater heights, is inescapable.
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Robert's songs more tuneful in their maturity, Grant's more atmospheric, they punch 'em all up to make a stronger impression than on their comeback album.
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Finally--a Go-Betweens album with the clarinet solos, harmonies, programmed drums, and splendor this band needs. Oceans Apart really sounds bright yellow and bright orange.
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Entertainment WeeklyThey remain one of rock's most pleasurable hand-me-down discoveries. [29 Apr 2005, p.148]
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The quintessential much-loved cult band, they’ve yet to make an album their fans didn’t adore, but the good news is that “Oceans Apart” is one of their finest.
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SpinThough it's more of a mash-up of two solo EPs than an album, we're just lucky these guys still bump into each other. [May 2005, p.105]
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If 2000's The Friends of Rachel Worth was a tentative warm-up and 2002's Bright Yellow, Bright Orange a encouraging but inconsistent workout, Oceans Apart is the sound of two artists hitting a self-assured and motivated stride.
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With its imagination, startling creativity, and sheer pop soul, Oceans Apart is the first great Go-Betweens' record of the 21st century.
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BlenderThe album is wonderfully cohesive. [May 2005, p.119]
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Q MagazineThere are songs here that count among the best they've made. [May 2005, p.119]
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UncutThe band sounds re-energised by an idea of the city, the marketplace, pop ambition. [May 2005, p.102]
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This is it, folks - this is the Go-Betweens album you’ve been waiting since the joyous news of their reunion. Oceans Apart captures the lushness of their earlier works, the separate-yet-complementary songwriting beauty of Forster and McLennan and their ability to paint the doldrums in charming pastels.
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Oceans Apart is the album that fans have been waiting for, the one that brings back the flawless production of their early releases and the cynical/idealistic tradeoff in Forster and McLennan’s songwriting.
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[A] sonic sheen (and the punchy rhythm section) gives the songs an immediacy that the previous reunion records have lacked.
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MagnetTheir best record since reuniting. [#68, p.95]
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Newcomers will hear a seductively pretty indie-pop record, while their still-ballooning cult can marvel at the sound of their iridescent melodies turning autumn-gold.
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Alternative PressFull of beautifully manicured pop that's often atmospheric and always dramatic, though it certainly wouldn't have hurt to toss in a few truly memorable choruses. [Jun 2005, p.164]
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McLennan's guitar enlivens even Forster's sketchier contributions ("Mountains Near Dellray" is a complete enigma); his own writing is harder to get behind.
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Yet as awkward as they sometimes sound, the Go-Betweens are still writing consistently gorgeous pop songs, and Oceans Apart proves they aren't content simply pleasing their most die-hard fans; they're back to making albums that, in a better world, appeal to everyone.
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As far as the songs go, there’s not a bad apple in the bunch. And some, like Lavender and its wonderful one-note melody, or No Reason to Cry and its breezy vocals, are really terrific. But oooooh, the cheese in that sound.
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Oceans laps upbeat and crisp, like winter in the Hamptons, a sleigh ride to 16 Lovers Lane.
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The strategy is the same: start with a basic, inoffensive and unambitious melody, repeat it over and over again, toss on a few scatting horns (between three and five notes only, please, and let’s keep dissonance to a minimum) and whatever other trinkets are in the studio, and voila! An instantly forgettable pop breeze.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 35 out of 43
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Mixed: 4 out of 43
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Negative: 4 out of 43
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Oct 7, 2015This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view.
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PeterBJul 28, 2006
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GlennDJan 11, 2006Top class tunes let down by poor lyrics. Which s odd, given their reputation. Perfect example - Lavender