Oceans Will Rise

The Stills gets a new charge of inspiration

A Canadian collective The Stills consists of vocalists Tim Fletcher and Dave Hamelin, keyboardist Liam O'Neil playing also percussion, bassist Olivier Corbeil and drummer Julien Blais. All the band members except for the drummer who has joined it quite recently have known each other since childhood and gone rather a long way before forming The Stills. Releasing the debut album Logic Will Break Your Heart in 2003 the guys have attracted the attention of many listeners fond of indie-rock both in Canada and the USA and today are one of the bands that the fans always are eager to see whenever they announce a new tour. That is exactly the state the band's fans are now for The Stills' third record Oceans Will Rise sees the light of the day and the tour in its support is just about to start. This work has become very special for the band for as the members have stated themselves they got an inspiration to record it with a new charge of inspiration, and one can make sure of that only listening to Oceans Will Rise as the new songs confirm this better than any word.

An example of great rock Oceans Will Rise

Despite of rather a terrifying cover style Oceans Will Rise is the kind of music quite acceptable for a wide circle of listeners serving an example of great rock. The album opens with a number pleasant in all respects Don't Talk Down, a mid-tempo one and pessimistic enough, and composition Snow In California also produces an impression of a great rock work although it begins with a hostile sound of serene. Splendid drums and vocals worthy of respect of a heavy song Snakecharming The Masses make it one of the best on the album but the central position of the album is occupied by single Being Here: its flawless tune reminding of U2 and the lyrics devoted to the fact of living itself please and charge with its unrestrained energy. The silent despair of song Everything I Build turns into a cry for help on chorus while Panic is a more lyrical number with a beautiful melody and softer vocals. Track Dinosaurs pleases with an effective echo and interesting sound effects and I'm With You is remarkable for the best guitarist and bassist's solos. Another very interesting moment of the record is an up-tempo composition Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard filled with an impetuous movement and just perfect for being performed at a stadium and a peaceful piece Statue Of Sirens closes the album demonstrating once again the rocker's sensitive side.

The Stills' most successful work

Surprisingly as it may seem this harmonious album, flawless in the respect of arrangements has proved to be a kind of experiment for The Stills for it contains much more of hard guitar riffs than the band has allowed itself before and abrupt deviations from the songs' main themes. The producer of Oceans Will Rise is Gus van Go for whom it is not the first time to work with the Canadian collective and he has once again managed to create that very rich sounding that serves a calling card for the band from the very beginning. Yet the record has much in common with The Stills' previous works, for instance, philosophic lyrics: there are rather deep thoughts even in the verses about relationships. Besides, Dave Hamelin, who writes most of the texts once again dwells on the questions of human relations that interest him and the world problems which the record's title is associated with. On the whole Oceans Will Rise can be easily called The Stills' most successful work but it is quite an undertaking to try to find a failure among them for these guys really do their job well no matter what.