Album Review: Ocean Grove - Flip Phone Fantasy

Emerging from a turbulent few years, which included the departure of frontman Luke Holmes and guitarist Jimmy Hall after the band signed a worldwide deal with BMG, Ocean Grove sound as fresh, optimistic and weird as ever on their second album Flip Phone Fantasy. 

This new-look Ocean Grove combine the skate-punk adrenaline of the '90s with the excitement and ambience of the early '00s technological boom. Things come screaming right out of the gate on Superstar, with new frontman Dale Tanner, who had previously handled all clean vocals, powerfully leading the charge, adding a blast of fresh, melodic air into the band's sound.

Elsewhere, cuts like Ask For The Anthem and Neo showcase the band’s vastly improved grip on the songwriting craft, and they show extra maturity when peeling back the layers to reveal the raw souls underneath the baggy pants and hairspray on acoustic standout Baby Cobra. 

There’s always been something more to Ocean Grove than just a good riff and breakdown - something that album closer Freaks, a dynamic and experimental shift for the band, can attest to. Rather than stick to their (tattoo) guns, Flip Phone Fantasy takes all the risks that many groups looking to capitalise on success tend to avoid. New sonic influences and lyrical direction (self-growth and the benefit of hindsight rule the roost here) mark this as the most unique and potentially polarising release from the band yet. However, hardcore kids from the Black Label days won't be left out. Junkie$ and hooky earworm Sunny mix the band’s signature darkly reflective melodies with a healthy dose of moshable riffage to keep things anchored for the true believers.

True to their self-proclaimed "Odd World" music, things are as mish-mashed as ever, with savage guitar tones sharply contrasted by house soundscapes, as heard on sweaty cuts Thousand Golden People and Guys From The Gord. There’s a greater emphasis on hip hop than their past work too - no doubt a result of newbie Twiggy Hunter, of electronic duo The Beverly Chills -  but those sounds are blended with metal roots smoothly, creating a wonderfully dense texture, unearthing new thrills at every turn. Things may have threatened to go pear-shaped for the band at the beginning of last year, but Ocean Grove have risen to the challenge and redirected the winds of change into their ever-expanding creative sails. Great heavy records are those that are different from the pack, and Flip Phone Fantasy is a fiery beacon in this regard, one that excites as much as it surprises.