Itís always nice to see the English in San Francisco. Theyíre usually fired up to be there, as SF carries an almost magical weight in UK popular lore, and due to that, they usually perform at the top of their game. Such was the case last night with Mancunian five-piece Oceansize. Their debut album, Effloresce, finally came out in the States last week and the boys were excited to showcase some of that recordís finest moments in the live arena.
The ëSize were much heavier in sound than my previous London experience. Rocking a short, 35-minute set, the three guitars still squalled and quieted, ebbed and flowed, but it seemed as if the raw power and bombast were, as the clichÈ goes, set to 11. Imagine if Radiohead, instead of experimenting with bleeps and bloops on Kid A, had experimented with straight riffs, or imagine a BALCO-sponsored Sigur Ros and youíd be closer to understanding the sternum crushing guitar attack of Oceansize. The standout track was ìOne Day This Could All Be Yours,î the band expanding to four (!) guitars, with bass on DAT. A maelstrom of guitars, wave upon wave of sound washed over the club> Oceansize, with their expansive, prog-rock leanings, swirling drums, and titanic riffage are an act that must be seen to be believed. Get your tickets already. Thanks to Jenn Lanchart for mine.
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