Oh Captain My Captain
Recklessly She Split The Sea
Rating: 3.0
Label: Bladen County Records
Portland's Oh Captain My Captain's {Recklessly She Split The Sea} is a compilation of attempted epics. Decades of British rock are blended together to create an extremely textured record, at times invoking the Beatles, Queen, Muse and Radiohead. Apparently, reaching across the pond for inspiration has produced a very theatrical album; one that takes some time to enjoy.
"On My Mind" is its own mini rock opera. Each section of the song could be considered an individual act. Act 1: Jaunty guitar riff. Act 2: Power chord chorus. Act 3: Musesque vocal wails. Act 4: Big guitar solo. Act 5: Breakdown ending. The song isn't subtle in any shape or form; it tries to be large, but ends up feeling like several distracting sections. That said, I give definite props to any band that can work a vibraphone into the mix: someone in the group had to have been a band kid in high school. Throwing in subtle strings, bells, and even a toy piano adds a playful touch when it is needed most.
It is hard not to think of Rock Band when listening to "Prize Fighter." It is the catchiest song on the album and lends itself the best to being played on plastic instruments. What can I say? Does a song need more than a simple hook with walking chords, a great narrative and solid solos?
However, the attempted grandeur of each song is where Oh Captain falters. The individual parts just don't come all together. It doesn't sound like a complete album. With more time, I think Oh Captain's songwriting will solidify and become a solid unit, but for all its quirk and quality, Recklessly She Split The Sea's tracks seem disjointed and don't quite fit together the way they should.
by Nicholas Ryan