Never let it be said that
Oceansize don't come up with their share of intriguing song titles. On
Frames, the song titles include "Sleeping Dogs and Dead Lions," "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt," "Trail of Fire," and "Only Twin." But then,
Frames is an intriguing listen even if one doesn't speak a word of English and has no idea what any of those titles mean. In the past, some nay-sayers have tried to dismiss
Oceansize as either a poor man's
Radiohead or a low-rent version of
Coldplay. But as
Frames demonstrates,
Oceansize's moody, atmospheric alternative pop/rock has many influences other than
Radiohead and
Coldplay. During the course of the album, the Manchester, England residents draw on a long list of influences that also includes
Pink Floyd,
the Police,
U2,
the Cocteau Twins,
Roxy Music, and, of course,
the Beatles. Occasionally,
Frames veers a bit into alternative metal and hardcore territory, but the album's heavier, more metallic moments are the exception instead of the rule; this is a band that, all things considered, would rather float than rock.
Frames is by far
Oceansize's most consistent release -- and it is a good place to start out if one is exploring their work for the first time. ~ Alex Henderson