Oh! The Ocean is the sixth album by The Wombats, set for release tomorrow, 14th February. But forget roses—this is all about the mind. Review.
OH! THE OCEAN – THE WOMBATS
Oh! The Ocean is full of warm pop-rock and an album that keeps The Wombats growing. Through the sound of sun-soaked pop-rock, the band delivers the brutally honest Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Wanna Come. Catchy, fun, and delightfully cheeky, it’s like an ironic postcard for your closest friends—the ones who truly understand the feeling. But it’s also a glimpse into Murph’s mind as he continues, through his lyrics, to explore anxiety and confrontation as a means of healing. Then, the band embarks on an adventure with the shimmering Can’t Say No and finds the silver lining in tricky situations with Blood On The Hospital Floor.
Recorded in short sessions, the entire album has an organic feel—even when it drastically shifts atmosphere. That’s where Kate Moss comes in, with its dark, deep, and anxious sound. A window into chaos under the L.A. sun, it is followed by the nocturnal and vibrant Gut Punch and the more intimate and vulnerable My Head Is Not My Friend. Murph then paints his love-hate relationship with America in I Love America, She Hates Me, touching on its political instability and unique take on freedom. His melodies are hard to resist!
Distorted self-sabotage on The World’s Not Out To Get Me, I Am, light-hearted morbidity on a pop background for Grim Reaper… The album strikes the right balance between depth, humour, and sincerity. Where Murph lays down introspective lyrics and often shimmering guitar, Dan Haggis’ drumming beats like a passionate heart, and Tord Øverland Knudsen’s bass provides a rich, smooth, and tangible depth. Reality Is A Wild Ride echoes, and against a more serious backdrop, Swerve (101) explores obsession. Finally, the album closes on the delicate yet ever-vulnerable Lobster. With Oh! The Ocean, The Wombats deliver a fantastic sixth album. It may not be universal, but it is undeniably humane.
The band will tour the UK in March.
