Ocean Colour Scene
On The Leyline

Class is permanent. An old saying that Ocean Colour Scene have fully embraced.

They exploded in 1996 with a good album ("Moseley Shoals") that immediately reached number 2 on the U.K. Chart and confirmed themselves the following year with their personal masterpiece "Marchin' Already". The O.C.S. experienced a slow but steady decline in record sales (but certainly not in quality) until today, with the decision to release this new "On The Leyline". It certainly did not revive the chart ambitions of the Birmingham combo (they reached a modest thirty-seventh position), but it reminded us that they are alive and kicking, indeed!

Of course, it's the usual; the basic blueprint is Beatles-like, with O.C.S. being one of the bands that has most followed the stylistic features set by the legendary Fab Four over the past 15 years. However, the quality of writing in each piece is so high that it's hard to understand how bands peddling pop wholesale as top-notch goods manage to be more successful than Simon Fowler's band.

The album was preceded by the first single "I Told You So", poppy and Travis-like (Fran Healy would thoroughly approve). Surprisingly, the album continues with some pleasantly rocky numbers like the semi-title track or "For Dancers Only" (signed Paul Weller). The paced "Man In The Middle" is also lovely, while the next intense "I Just Got Over You" seems straight from Noel Gallagher's pen and is already scheduled as the second single, releasing on July 9th. It continues with numbers heavily influenced by the acclaimed Lennon/McCartney duo (listen to "These Days I'm Tired", amazing harmonies and acoustic guitar riff), a sunny "Don't Get Me" accompanied by harmonica (perfect for this summer, on the beach with a nice cool drink to enjoy and a beautiful girl next to you), and a somewhat predictable (but always Beatles trademark) "Mr. Brown". The closure with "Daylight" is very short but intense.

A surprising, derivative album, yes, but of astonishing beauty and intensity and with disarming accessibility. Dedicated to those who still believe that great pop craftsmanship is still alive, and also to those who only know them because Cesare Cremonini decided to copy their "Better Day" for his "Un Giorno Migliore" (he didn't even have the decency to change the title, and the funny thing is he defended himself by saying he wrote his when he was a teenager. Oh really, and how do you explain that the title and the first verse are practically identical?).

Long live, therefore, Ocean Colour Scene.