| Songs for the Front Row collects the best tracks from the Moseley Shoals quartet Ocean Colour Scene. Though critics may not like this smart, soulful Birmingham outfit, there's no denying that OCS--like the early work of their mentor Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher in his less boisterous moments, the Small Faces or the Yardbirds--manage to tap into a certain strain of Englishness usually ignored by trendier outfits. It's all here: from the Chris Evans-championed "The Riverboat Song", to festival favourites such as "Profit in Peace", the irresistibly jaunty "Mechanical Wonder" and the Stonesy blues of "You've Got It Bad". Every groove oozes passion and self-belief, every last Motown-influenced bassline and Mod blast of guitar boasts pride. Derided as this Moseley Shoals quartet may well be--and sure, their music can veer worryingly into syrupy ballad territory, particularly on slower numbers such as "Beautiful Thing"--they've had their great moments. --Everett True |
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