Australian three-piece OCEAN GROVE have finally announced a UK and European tour for this coming Autumn. The tour starts on the 10th October in Glasgow and finished in Prague on the 31st of October, London date is on the 21st October at Camden Assembly Rooms. This will be the bands first time returning to the UK since the release on their third album ‘Up In The Air Forever’. The album is out now via UNFD.
You can see OCEAN GROVE at the following dates: 10th October – The Garage, Glasgow 11th October – Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield 13th October – The Deaf Institute, Manchester 14th October – The Key Club, Leeds 15th October – Bodega Social Club, Nottingham 17th October – The Joiners, Southampton 18th October – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff 19th October – o2 Academy 3, Birmingham 21st October – Camden Assembly, London
The perfect collab does exist, and in 2022 it prevails in the form of the brand new single and music video ‘BORED’, boasting Oddworld icons Ocean Grove teaming up with fellow beloved party-starters Dune Rats.
Offering one last mouthwatering peek at Ocean Grove‘s impending new album Up In The Air Forever, out tomorrow 22nd April on UNFD, ‘BORED’ is a boisterous and bustling ode to the frustrations and stifled energy from the past few years, delivered with delectable Ocean Grove creamy bounce and some rambunctious flair with Dune Rats along for the ride.
Perfectly complementing the nostalgic flavours of the track, the ‘BORED’ music video also features plenty of throwbacks like Discmans and old-school video games alongside the larrikin tinges. Also armed with some modern sonic grunge and a criminally catchy chorus you’ll definitely want to shout along to, ‘BORED’is the ultimate antidote to the frustrations of the past few years, while also marking a significant reminder to Ocean Grove about the importance of their burgeoning Oddworld universe, as the band explains: “This song is what you get when you place your two favourite bands into a room during what felt like a never-ending lockdown for two years and ask them to sit still. Writing this song was the perfect way to funnel our pent up energy and irritation into something cathartic and positive – much like the entire album.”
“Really, we were the opposite of bored when it came to writing and recording this absolute thrasher – it was fun as f***! It was a timely reminder of just how important Oddworld music is to us and that it will always be the silver bullet to the mundanity we feel exerted around us on a daily basis. That’s essentially what this song is all about. It’s a laugh in the face of so- called authority, the wet blanket throwers, the nay-sayers. Anyone too afraid of change, to be bold, to take risks and who dampen the spirit of others in the process. It’s bin behaviour and to that we say “f*** that!”. We couldn’t think of a more legendary bunch of larrikins than Dune Rats to help escalate this song’s rascal energy. So when we got ‘em to enter the Oddworld for a sing-along, we knew ‘BORED’ was destined for greatness…as are the lot of ya!!!”
cean Grove have announced details of their visionary third album Up In The Air Forever today, out 22ndApril 2022 via UNFD.
Birthed straight from the belly of Ocean Grove’s creative engine – none other than their own Oddworld™ universe – Up In The Air Forever is a 10-track, genre-bending epic musical journey. An evolution of the trio’s early heavy sound, the record finds Ocean Grove leaning into their strengths in the worlds of Brit-rock, pop, grunge and punk and ultimately confirms them as a creative force that can’t be tamed.
Celebrating personal freedom, expression and creativity, the record is characterised by strong anarchic sentiments and resentment for a system that squashes individualism and anti-“norm” ideas.
Following the reveal of their summery earworm ‘CALI SUN’, Ocean Grove are lifting a second taste of the album with the reveal of their uplifting anthem ‘SILVER LINING’ today alongside its new music video.
“We want nothing but to empower the listener with a positive mental attitude (PMA), especially in their darkest hours when they may feel completely lost in themselves or in the loss of a loved one. Life isn’t meant to be easy and there is always a reason to keep fighting for the beauty in the pain, even when the way out of the darkness seems impossible. Where there is hope, there is power if we choose to tap into this PMA mentality. Death is a tool to remind us of the importance of every moment we are alive. Time is scarce, use it wisely and let ‘SILVER LINING’ be an anthem for the loving lost, that they are eternal and will be remembered with fierce optimism. There are great lessons to be learnt from solitude and it doesn’t have to last a lifetime. All will be okay in the temporary separation, and until the moment we meet our loved ones once again, we will fight every day on this planet to uphold their legacy and wisdom in the best way we know how.” – Ocean Grove
Taken as a whole, Up In The Air Forever delivers a head-spinning dose of positive energy and a message of courage and unity in a bitter and troubled world. It’s an impassioned burst of light amid the darkness, confusion and “up in the air” nature of our world today.
“COVID or not, everything is always uncertain,” muses frontman Dale Tanner on how the album’s title is a parallel to the unforeseeable nature of life. “Being fearful of uncertainty and the unknown squashes creativity. Embracing this notion of things being up in the air forever, eternally, is a really positive thing if you take it on board and let it empower you.”
Uncertainty and change has followed Ocean Grove for much of their career, yet it’s been PMA that’s continued to inform Dale, Twiggy and Sam in everything they do and the creatives they aspire to be – and it’s a message they vehemently want to spread further with Up In The Air Forever.
More about Up In The Air Forever: “The power is in The Shoe,” declares the manifesto for Ocean Grove‘s visionary upcoming record Up In The Air Forever. “The Shoe, affectionately branded the ‘Oddworld 3000’, is the key to unlocking the listener’s full potential. It represents a portal that transmits the wearer to the universe of the Oddworld and beyond, where rules like gravity don’t apply.”
That shoe – of course referring to the colossal sneaker dominating the Up In The Air Forever cover art – is a wearable transportation – better said, a transformation device. Brought to life through the genius of comic artist Brent Engstrom (Garbage Pail Kids, Topps), the album cover illustrates the walls of real-world mediocrity that Ocean Grove are looking to shatter – and the shoe they plan to do it with! Slip it on and gravitate to the highest frequencies of the Oddworld and the realest you.
“With this album, Ocean Grove is empowering the listener to reach for the stars,” continues the mission statement penned by the OG collective. “It’s not that The Shoe promises them any new powers, but rather a change in perspective that removes the external callus and conditioning they’ve acquired over possible lifetimes, the veil of illusion over their eyes that keeps them subdued and contracted.”
Check out the Cover Art and Tracklisting for ‘Up In The Air Forever’ as well as Pre-order options below.
1. FLAVA 2. SEX DOPE GOLD 3. CALI SUN 4. BUSTIN’ 5. SILVER LINING 6. HMU (ft. Lil Aaron) 7. BORED (ft. Dune Rats) 8. NOISE 9. SILENCE 10. UP IN THE AIR FOREVER
Pre-orders for the record ‘Up In The Air Forever’ are available via the following link.
Following its first play on triple j Good Nights, Ocean Grove‘s electric summer single ‘CALI SUN’ is officially out now. This positive, passionate and uplifting earworm also comes alongside a bright and bold new music video.
Thematically, ‘CALI SUN’ exemplifies the Ocean Grove ethos to critically question the norm and champion the anti-norm. It features both inspired sonics and an equally inspired message to match.
“Paradisiacal and enticing, ‘CALI SUN’ represents the ultimate marketplace for the senses whether they lust for fame, money or success. Not your stereotypical heartbreak story, ‘CALI SUN’ is a nod to the land and opulence of California herself,” says Ocean Grove.
“As the song reveals, human dependence on anything feel-good in excess never ultimately rewards or fulfils the user, rather leaving them on a perpetual chase that can only be checked through a journey of self-realisation. Left to its own devices, we consider this dependence the work of the enemy mind, an insidious yet inherent part of us all. Without maintaining PMA, our vulnerability to chasing a high will always tempt and taunt us.”
The sweltering anthem also marks Ocean Grove’s first release as a trio following the amicable departure of guitarist Matt Henley last month.
Unsurprisingly, ’CALI SUN’ continues to demonstrate the unstoppable force of creative energy oozing from OG. This is a group that’s tighter than ever, emboldened with clarity, confidence and many daring plans yet to be revealed….Stay tuned for more Oddworld news soon.
Hello everyone welcome back to the New Music Roundup! We’re here for a roundup of five of the best recently released tracks. They’re not all within the same genre and they’re all different in some way or another but that means that there’s a little something for everyone here but come on, let’s get down to the music!First up this week we have the Canadian Singer/Songwriter Lights with her cover of the classic festival tune, ‘Deck The Halls’.
The reason this is first? Just because it’s December and I’m trying to have at least one festive track in each of the roundups!
Seconds up this week are the UK masters of destruction Architects whom have delivered another taste of their upcoming record, ‘For Those That Wish To Exist’.
‘Black Lungs’ is being described as ‘A wonderful combination of razor sharp riffs, huge vocal refrains and world-eating atmosphere’. That sounds as its an absolute beast of a track!
Now we move to the band Ocean Grove.
‘Dream’ finds the band in the same universe as their recent album ‘Flip Phone Fantasy’, in which the track was set to be a hidden track from, but with a much breezier vibe coursing through their music, with beautifully rousing guitars and inspirationally limitless lyrical turns.
Vocalist Dale Tanner had this to say about the track:
“It feels as though the lyrics have taken on an even deeper relevance when we look back on the stories of life’s fragility that have been making headlines for months.
“Ultimately it hopes to inspire listeners to stop paying attention to the naysayers and the constant reminders that we’re not good enough and instead to chase those crazy life goals to no end. This song is OG running to the rooftops and shouting loud and clear that time is our greatest commodity and we shouldn’t waste a bloody second of it.”
Bassist Twiggy Hunter had this to add:
“Dream was written to empower the listener and instil a sense of don’t-give-a-fuck-ery with a bold, glistening undertone of optimism and hope. We hope listeners can use this song as a form of lifeblood to not give up hope through the times ahead and go on to prosper and thrive in their own individualism.”
Smrtdeath, born Mike Skwark, has announced his new album ‘Somethjings Wrong’ due out November 20 via Epitaph. Today, Smrtdeath shares his latest single from the forthcoming record. ‘Don’t Love Me’ epitomizes what Skwark does best, making anthems out of the everyday. With an incredibly catchy, and powerful chorus, the song transcends the underground alternative rap scene and makes it an infectious earworm.
“’Don’t Love Me’ is about wanting someone you can’t have,” explains Skwark. “Kind of like meeting someone at the wrong time, or when you’re too focused on yourself to have time to pursue a connection anywhere else. It’s also about the misguided feelings people can have about someone based on a fleeting connection.”
Smrtdeath has never been easily defined incorporating hip-hop, emo, trap, alternative rock, and a pleasingly warped take on pop into his deeply sincere and catchy songs while frequently collaborating with artists across the entire musical spectrum. Skwark’s genre-agnostic approach to music allows him to successfully touch upon themes of vulnerability, addiction, and heartache within his lyrics. Through getting to know all versions of himself, Skwark has produced a deeply honest collection of songs.
And lastly this week we have the Symphonic metal giants Within Temptation have released a new single called ‘The Purge’, their second release of 2020 following their previous single, ‘Entertain You’.
This is what frontwoman Sharon Den Adel had to say of ‘The Purge’.
“‘The Purge’ revolves around self-reflection and a search for redemption. No one gets through life without scars or without inflicting them on others and there will always be moments in your life you start questioning your choices. You start realising you’ve made mistakes, causing harm to not only others but also to yourself. To confess, to acknowledge and to accept these mistakes, can be a very painful process – however, unescapable when the burden becomes too heavy.”
You can stream and listen to ‘The Purge’ below.
And that’s it for another week of a roundup of the best new tracks out in the world in the last week. Be sure to check back next-time for another round of great music videos. If you have any suggestions for me to check out, be sure to send an email or message us via the socials on Facebook or Twitter!
Ahead of the release of his upcoming second record ‘Weird’, Yungblud has shared a new “misfits” themed Spotify playlist of artist who inspire him.
“These songs represent the individuality of a generation,” YUNGBLUD explains. “Why would you want to fit in when it’s so much more interesting to be different, to be yourself, to be a misfit.”
On the playlist there’s some fan faves including While She Sleeps, Bring Me The Horizon and as well as Fever 333, Grimes and Ocean Grove.
Check out the full playlist so you can get inspired below.
Is it Friday already? That can only mean it’s 4PM and it’s time for one thing. It’s time for the music video roundup. If you’re new to either the blog or the roundup posts, this is how it works. Every week, I view some of the best recently released music videos and compile them into a list for everyone’s viewing pleasure. They’re videos that go across all the different genres, so expect something different for most of the tracks. Let’s get things going with the Hardcore Yorkshire band Blood Youth where ‘Spineless’ is about not being able to change your fucked up state of mind,” according to frontman Kaya Tarsus. Check it out below.
Lock & Key have returned to the spotlight after some teasing online last week and ‘Changes’ sees their first glimpse of new music since the band parted ways in 2016.
In the last week, The Faim haven’t seen any signs of slowing down. They’ve been on a huge UK tour, their first headlining UK tour to be exact as part of their world tour and now, they have a new Video to their Huge track, ‘Fire’. The concept behind the video, according to vocalist Josh Raven is about how dedicating yourself to achieve your dream can affect your relationships with those closest to you.
Moving to the Ska Punk and Punk favourites Zebrahead have gotten themselves involved with Aliens in their latest video for the track ‘We’re Not Alright’. The video sees a cloaked alien abduct and steal the brain of a human in the forest. And of course, there’s a pug.
Skunk Anansie have been around for the last 25 years. And to mark such an accomplishment, you have to look into the history of a band. As such, that’s exactly what this band has done perfectly for ‘Hedonism’ 25Live@5.
We’ve been waiting for Ocean Grove to reveal themselves for a while, and now we have some changes in the camp. Former Bassist Dale Tanner has taken over vocal duties from Luke Holmes, who left the group last month and Twiggy Hunter has stepped in on Bass.
Now, their new track, ‘Ask For The Anthem’ shows us what to expect in the future.
Pretty Vicious are making a strong start to make themselves known in the world. The Welsh group recently signed to Big Machine and they’re their debut record with Dan Austin on producing duties. At the moment, they’re showing just what they’re capable of in the form of their new video for “These Four Walls”.
For the next selection, I’ll venture into the world of alt-pop for Billie Eilish. The 17-year-old is making waves in the music world and will be releasing her debut record soon. She dropped her lead single recently, titled as “Bury a Friend” which has racked up over 30 million views on Youtube to date. I’m intrigued to hear the full record but for now, check out the video for ‘Bury a Friend’ below.
With Tennessee Emo / Pop Punks Free Throw just wrapping up a tour of the UK, everyone’s been wondering what’s next for the group. The answer, of course, would be their next record, titled as ‘What’s Past Is Prologue’, set to drop on March 29th via Triple Crown. For the first look at what’s to come through, is the video for ‘The Corner’s Dilemma’ which you can view below.
And we’ve come to the last track of this week’s Music Video countdown. I’ve reserved this sometimes for a personal favourite or one track I’ve been waiting to see for a while. Either way, you know my last choice is going to be a good one. Set It Off recently released their fourth studio record, titled as ‘Midnight’ but they did something unorthodox for their newest music video, namely, let the fans vote which they were going to make. And with that, the last video has been chosen by the fans for their new single, it’s ‘Dancing With The Devil, which sees the band confined in quarantine. That’s all I’m revealing for it. You have to watch it, to see how good it is.
And that’s it for another week of music video roundups. Be sure to check back next week for another ten of the best right here at Almost Anything Media.
It’s time for another round of music videos so let’s kick things off with….
A Summer High – Pretty Little Liar.
Next up is Chicago based band World War Me who’ve been finishing up their debut album and here’s the brand new single which is, ‘That’s So Yesterday’.
Now, this bands new video is inspired by the hit Netflix programme, Stranger Things, this is Falling In Reverse’s track, ‘Superhero’.
Waterparks are on a fantastic run at the moment. They’ve got an almost sold out UK tour coming and that’s only five months after destroying their sets at this years Slam Dunk Festivals. Here’s their music video for ‘Gloom Boys’.
There’s always at least one sort of weird ambitions video released every week and this week, it is no exception. This is Ocean Grove and this is the video for ‘Stratosphere Love’.
Now, if you want to see what it’s like to see what a bands been up to on the Vans Warped Tour this summer, then this is the video you want to see, here is The Gospel Youth and their track Your Love Was A Cancer.
And finally…. The All american Rejects new tracks.
It was a long wait for these two tracks, which also work as two short films, this is Sweat and Close Your Eyes.
There’s been another massive Slam Dunk Festival Announcement! This time it’s been in the form of the Rocksound Break Out Stage and the bands who will be playing!
In no particular order the bands are:
Casey
Vukovi
Sylar
Ocean Grove
Area 11
Homebound
The Gospel Youth
Makeout
Oh and there’s a competition via Rocksound to open the stage! Check out the link!
Almost Anything Music 