Their sound has showed shades of their mellow yet tuneful post-punk forerunners such as Echo & the Bunnymen, Modern English, New Order, and The Smiths while still pursuing their own path. A fourth record, 1996's 'See', was released by Mercury/PolyGram before the band began leaving the majors altogether in the late 90s. The band did several independent releases from 1999 on into the 00s, including 2004's well-received 'Waterworks'. Then, several years later, the group began working on a new full length record, their first full album release in over a decade. Entitled 'Ultramarine', the band scheduled it for release on March 19, 2013 through Korda Records, a new Minneapolis-based cooperative label that the group helped launch in late 2012.
Over the years, they've gained a reputation as one of America's more influential dream pop artists, forming a sound that many artists would look to from the 90s onward. Their debut, 'The Ocean Blue', continues to draw praise from retrospective-minded musical critics as well as alternative music fans in general. In recent years, the group's followers have found 'Ultramarine' a spectacular return to form that recalls the band’s earliest work and should appeal to fans old and new alike.
On the title, band member and singer-songwriter David Schelzel has explained, "We chose Ultramarine to reflect several things. The mood of this record is a little blue, and harkens back to our other "blue" record, Cerulean. It's also a fun play on our name, and we were very conscious of our history as a band making this record. Thinking about our music, what it's meant to us and others. Asking a lot of existential questions about the band, what it was, is, and could be in the future."
Ultramarine was recorded in Minneapolis, MN, Portland, OR, and Mt Gretna, PA over several years, with Schelzel and drummer Peter Anderson producing. "This record unfolded in slow motion,” says Schelzel, “At a glacial pace. We were not on the clock we were when we were on the major labels. And we were not in an insulated studio world for months making the music. We made it mostly in our own studios, on our own time. Regular life drifted into this one more than our earlier records.”
Music recording and distribution, and the social networks of the Web have changed the landscape completely since the band’s last full length. Says Anderson, “We are using gear and technology on the recording side that for the most part didn’t exist when the band was making big budget studio records in the 90s. It’s allowed us to do a lot of things we’d never been able to do years ago, all at a much cheaper cost. We also have the ability to connect with people directly via the Web that wasn’t really there when we did our last release."
Musically, the new record is a return to form for the band. As well as a new beginning. Lyrically it is romantic, melancholic and impressionistic. The melodic singing, chimey guitars and lush keyboards the band is known for weave their way through the songs. Even the saxophone has returned on the opening track. But it is a record full of music that sounds very of the moment.
"It's an interesting time for us to be putting out a new record. So much of the music we see and hear now reminds me of things I loved growing up," say guitarist Oed Ronne. "My friends in their twenties like The Smiths and New Order. It's a strange thing, but good for us I think. We'd love to reconnect with our old fans, but also make new ones among the ranks of the young."
"I'm really looking forward to sharing this new music with people who know us and people who’ve never heard us before. And play some shows," says bass player Bobby Mittan. "It's been way too long."
Either/Or
The Ocean Blue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So in between
So back and forth
Don't know where he's been
When I stopped and thought about it
When I figured out
When I stopped and thought
Faced the either/or
So crazy in my head
In my head, in my head
Over all the things I've read
Things I've read, things I've read
So high above
So up in front
So left and right
So and/both
But when I stopped and thought about it
When I figured out
When I stopped and thought
Faced the either/or
So crazy in my head
In my head, in my head
Over all the things I've read
Things I've read, things I've read
So far removed
So in between
So back and forth
Don't know where he's been
When I stopped and thought about it
When I figured out
When I stopped and thought
Faced the either/or
So crazy in my head
In my head, in my head
Over all the things I've read
Things I've read, things I've read
In my head
In my head
The lyrics of The Ocean Blue's song Either/Or present a state of confusion, uncertainty, and indecisiveness. The singer feels lost, caught between opposing forces, and unable to make a clear choice. He describes himself as "so far removed" and "so in between" - his mind seems to be wandering aimlessly, without a clear sense of direction or purpose. He also mentions feeling "so crazy in [his] head", suggesting that the mental strain of this inner conflict is taking a toll on him.
At the same time, there is a sense of introspection and reflection in the lyrics. The singer stops and thinks about his situation, trying to make sense of it. He faces the "either/or" - presumably, the two options that he is struggling to choose between. The repetition of the phrase "When I stopped and thought about it" reinforces this idea of stopping to reflect, to gain clarity and perspective. However, despite this attempt at self-examination, the singer remains stuck in his confused state.
The lyrics are somewhat abstract and open to interpretation, but they suggest a feeling of being caught in a liminal space, unable to fully commit to one path or the other. The repeated reference to being "in [his] head" reinforces this idea - the singer is grappling with his inner demons, trying to find a way out of the mire of indecision.
Line by Line Meaning
So far removed
Feeling distant and disconnected from everything and everyone
So in between
Stuck in a state of confusion and uncertainty, unable to commit to any path or decision
So back and forth
Constantly swaying between different thoughts and desires, unable to settle on one
Don't know where he's been
Feeling lost and unsure about the past and the events that have led up to the present moment
When I stopped and thought about it
Taking a moment to reflect and analyze one's thoughts and feelings
When I figured out
Coming to a realization or understanding about oneself or a situation
Faced the either/or
Confronting a decision between two options, each with its pros and cons
So crazy in my head, in my head, in my head
Overwhelmed by the constant barrage of thoughts and emotions within one's own mind
Over all the things I've read, things I've read, things I've read
Feeling burdened by the expectations and ideas presented in books, articles, or other media
So high above
Feeling disconnected from reality, lost in one's own thoughts and imagination
So up in front
Feeling pulled towards something in the future, but unable to clearly define or reach it
So left and right
Feeling pulled in different directions by conflicting desires, unable to choose a clear path
So and/both
Feeling torn between two equal yet opposing options
In my head
Returning to the overwhelming feeling of being trapped in one's own thoughts and emotions
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.