Cut Out Kid

“Love Doesn’t Make It Easy On Us” Is Classic Ocean Blue

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“Love Doesn’t Make It Easy On Us” is classic Ocean Blue, and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the single, and video, they released a few months back. It harkens back to their second record, Cerulean, and conjures memories of my childhood with every strum.

I wasn’t sure how I’d felt about their latest album, Kings and Queens/Knaves and Thieves, after hearing it on Spotify, but I took a chance and bought the beautiful, red, vinyl at their show. They played Lincoln Hall in Chicago, last fall. Here was my post:

“A Night Of Nostalgia With The Ocean Blue, 11/3/19.”

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Certain songs stuck out, live, while others just didn’t hit the mark. “All The Way Blue,” could have fit on their debut, Between Something and Nothing. I love that record, but it feels like it’s been done before, that’s my only beef.

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“Paraguay My Love” is the best song on the album, because it feels fresh and new. An upbeat lovesong, carefree and heartfelt. This was the main reason I bought the record and one of the best sounding songs of the night.

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“Therein Lies The Problem With My Life” is another one from ‘Knaves that did not feel forced. Not a bad record in all, just not their best either.

They need to tap Oed Ronne for more songs like “Ticket To Wyoming” and “Sunshower,” and he needs to sing more live. Variety is the spice of life, even though we love us some Schelzel.

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Filed under:
Album Reviews, All About Music

Tags:
Alternative, Chicago, Kings and Queens/Knaves And Thieves, Lincoln Hall, Sire, The Ocean Blue