Today, one of Australia’s most celebrated new acts, Ocean Alley, returned with their smooth new single “Tombstone”. The track infuses the band’s signature summery, psychedelic sound with a sprinkling of funk, soul and classic rock. Produced by longtime friend and collaborator Callum Howell, “Tombstone” is quietly self-assured; diving headfirst into bright, psychedelic tones and a floating melody, creating an intoxicating combination pairing Baden Donegal’s buttery vocals with the group’s epic harmonies. The track reminisces about a place that was once the perfect respite, however is now just a wasteland, and the sombre lyrical tone is juxtaposed by the upbeat drums and an endlessly catchy chorus.
In the midst of their relentless international touring schedule over the past 12 months, including a sold out US headlining tour this past Spring, Ocean Alley have used short breaks at home to write and demo new music, with previous singles “Stained Glass” and “Infinity” released earlier in the year. In addition to the release of “Tombstone”, the band has also announced a performance at the 2020 installment of Electric Forest Festival taking place June 25th-28th in Michigan. You can stream “Tombstone” on YouTube and streaming services now.
Speaking on the track, the band stated:
“‘Tombstone’ is a song that reminisces about a place that was once ideal, a place that was once the perfect respite, now just a wasteland. Recorded at The Grove Studios and produced by Callum Howell, this track was built over two days from demos and is the next single following Stained Glass and Infinity. It’s a “…should’ve been here yesterday…” moment that we’ve turned into something passionate and heartfelt.”
Hailing from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, six-piece Ocean Alley – Baden Donegal (vocals), Angus Goodwin (guitar), Nic Blom (bass), Lach Galbraith (keys/vocals), Mitch Galbraith (guitar) and Tom O’Brien (drums) – solidified their position as one of Australia’s most exciting bands. They have captivated audiences worldwide with their infectious blend of psychedelic surf-rock, selling out a slew of shows at home and abroad plus performing festivals including Splendour In The Grass (AU), BottleRock (USA) and Rhythm and Vines (NZ). The band also found time to curate the sold out, inaugural A Day For The Beaches – a community event held on the Northern Beaches last month to raise money and awareness for local charities One Eighty and Cerebral Palsy Alliance, and give back to their hometown. Now with two albums under their belt, Lost Tropics (2016) and the critically acclaimed Chiaroscuro (2018), which peaked at #11 on the ARIA Chart and spawned the triple j Hottest 100 #1 and ARIA Top 10 Double Platinum certified single “Confidence”, that was nominated for ARIA Song of the Year in 2019. Having surpassed 200 million catalogue streams, as well as achieving the impressive feat of attaining more than 1.2 million monthly Spotify listeners, the band has, as stated best by triple j, “surfed their way to ‘Next Big Thing’ status.”