The Wombats’ latest album, Oh! The Ocean, finds the Liverpool threesome not far, stylistically, from where they left us last. In terms of recording setup, however, we’re a world away. For those who are still trying to forget, back in 2022 we were in the thick of a pandemic, one that had The Wombats playing and sending in their respective parts remotely from three different countries. For Oh! The Ocean, members Matthew Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, and Matt Haggis spent six weeks in an Echo Park, California studio with producer John Congleton.
With a crisp mid-tempo beat and a funky bassline, “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come” opens the album nicely. Matthew Murphy’s vocals are solid, and his tone is kept appropriately downcast given the song’s obvious theme, which is reflected in its title. The band shifts into high gear during the excellent “Blood on the Hospital Floor”, a song wherein Murphy bemoans being stuck inside his own head. The driving guitar paired with Tord Øverland Knudsen’s bass and Dan Haggis’ spirited drumming make for a beautiful moment. After the somewhat spacey, electronic-infused “Kate Moss”, the boys deliver “Gut Punch” a moment reminiscent of nineties pop that might have sounded downright mainstream if not for Murphy and Øverland Knudsen’s thoughtful guitar and bass interplay. Oh! The Ocean’s repeated primary motif of overthinking instead of living in the moment is on full display during “My Head Is Not My Friend”, a song that feels optimistic tonally until minor chord shifts during the pre-chorus remind us of the concern being relayed in Murphy’s lyrics.
“I love America, and she hates me, gets all of her pleasure from shattering my dreams.” The chorus for the track that kicks off Oh! The Ocean’s second half is oddly prophetic given that The Wombats announced this record one month before the U.S.’s 2024 election. Murphy’s guitar and vocal work on “The World’s Not Out to Get Me, I Am” is stellar, and John Congleton’s production here is perfect, beautifully balancing an overmodulated guitar with occasional phase-shifting percussion. “Grim Reaper” has The Wombats trying on Strokes-inspired guitarwork, finding a sweet spot when the borrowed style is combined with Murphy’s excellent falsetto.
Oh! The Ocean concludes with a mismatched pair. The album’s penultimate moment, “Swerve (101)”, builds tension during the verses, exploding when a chorus (that literally ends with the word “explode”) comes around. Among other things, the song decries “TikTok models with all their slippery morals.” The lyrics examine happiness in relation to modern trends, finding an inherent conflict between momentary obsession and lasting, fulfilling joy. The easy groove of “Lobster” concludes Oh! The Ocean. The song feels like a day on the beach when compared to its immediate predecessor. Oh! The Ocean is a solid listening experience. Fans who enjoyed what The Wombats delivered on Fix Yourself, Not the World will find this latest album meets expectations.
Rating: 7.5/10
