Album Review: Ocean Grove - 'Up In The Air Forever'

As always with reviews, please enjoy my candid & unedited track by track notes!

This is, Up In The Air Forever

FLAVA

The song starts with almost the sounds of a circus before launching into what has become the classic new ‘Ocean Grove’ rock dude sound. But somehow with a slight hip hop feel? It’s a safe opener and sets the album up well in the sense that you know they are leaning right into how they want to sound and black label is in the past baby. This is Ocean Grove.

SEX DOPE GOLD

This song slaps a little harder than the first. We have had this single before and let’s just call it exactly what it is, this song is a BANGER. If you’ve been lucky enough to see this band live since Dale Tanner took over as front man, you know he brings the energy and this song oozes that same flare from start to finish.

CALI SUN

The the lead single from this album campaign, this song continues with the high energy & honestly sounds like it could have slot it into perfectly to their last record, flip phone fantasy. The stand out part of this track is the layering of the vocals in different ways all throughout. There’s no point where it’s just one vocal, they have been overlapped and distorted and layered and it’s a really fun way to have played with a track. Love this song.

BUSTIN

This starts with a band at the end of Cali Sun. We love a transition! This song feels like the boys are basically just poking their tongue out at you unapologetically announcing who they are. The end of the chorus is met with ‘na na na’ sung at you and it’s very catchy!

SILVER LINING

Despite the fact that we have had this song for a few months now, it stands out when listening on the album. It’s got a slower tempo and it’s definitely got a different vibe. Tanners vocals absolutely shine in the verses and bridge. This track is digested differently, like the moment you raise your lighters instead of push around a pit. A nice diversity moment.

HMU

For all intents and purposes this feels like an interlude. At less than 2 minutes and features vocals by ‘lil Aaron’. The short song transports you straight back to the 90’s. You’ll see what I mean.

BORED

God damn what a track. Ft Dune Rats & a collab that makes sense in all the right ways, if you like either band you’ll love this song. It’s got a huge anthem in vibe and you can tell from the first listen this will be a huge single. It’s one of those songs that once it ends you’ll probably go back and play it a second time before jumping into the next track on the album. Ocean Rats tour when?

NOISE

A wonderful fuck you song. Ahhhh we love to hear it. Musically it’s continuing along that same trajectory of rock lords the band is safely establishing themselves as. The lyrical content is the highlight of this track, it’ll be a great live singalong moment for sure!

SILENCE

Oh this is different! Definitely a little harder on the rock side but again with some hip hop 90’s vibes. This might actually be my biggest standout on the album so far. As it continues it takes a few musical twists and turns and keeps you hooked. Yep, this is my fave. Ocean Grove & Limp Bizkit tour when? Hahaha

UP IN THE AIR FOREVER

This is as experimental as the album gets sound wise. Once again Dale’s vocals shine front and centre in this dreamy track. It's a lovely wait to fade out the otherwise quite high energy record.

Overall the album might appear on the surface to be a safe step for the band after FPF that was clearly quite a drastic musical change. I think this is a moment for them to really 100% establish who they really want to be and give them a catalogue to perform with going forward. FPF left VERY big shoes to fill, honestly this feels like a continuation and the natural follow up. I can see this record having an impact on a broader audience and seeing them jump into a more mainstream channel which will open many, many doors. I want the world for this band so here's hoping!

Pre-order final copies of Up In The Air Forever via UNFD now

If you are are in Melbourne this weekend the band are having a pop up store on Sunday. RSVP here! (There might also be a sneaky secret free show)

Pick up a ticket to the Flip Phone In The Air tour crossing Australia next month: