Review by Shannon Shumaker
Big, fun-loving and catchy as hell, Ocean Park Standoff’s self-titled debut EP is sure to be one of your favorite releases of 2017. With melodies that will have you singing along in no time and hard-hitting sounds that’ll make you want to move, this trio has created magic on this EP.
The opening track, “Lost Boys” is a nod to Peter Pan, an anthem about living life to the fullest while you’re young. With big drums, bass and synth and a chorus that is sure to get stuck in your head, “Lost Boys” serves as an incredibly strong introduction to Ocean Park Standoff. Although the theme is something that we’ve all heard before, the delivery is entirely new. Synth heavy, almost hip-hop influenced beats mesh easily with pop vocals.
Following the fun-loving “Lost Boys” is the emotional but no less massive “Good News.” Although a little toned down content-wise, vocally and instrumentally, “Good News” is very bright and hopeful sounding. The piano-driven, synth laced track is about finding hope in the dark, and the sound directly reflects the lyrical content.
With only five songs, the only challenge that Ocean Park Standoff faces on this EP is proving their versatility. At times, they tend to fall into repetitive songwriting patterns (for instance, the chorus and progression of “We Do” sounds a little similar to “Lost Boys”) but at it’s core, this debut EP is a spectacular introduction to what promises to be one of 2017’s breakout acts. It’s impossible not to sing along to “We Do” and the following track, “Photos & Liquor,” which shakes things up with a hip-hop influenced vibe. Bringing things to a strong close is “Tunnel Lights,” which like “Good News,” leaves things bright and hopeful. The meshing of two very different sounds (acoustic guitars and synth) on this final track is stunning, creating quite a bit of promise for the future of Ocean Park Standoff.
Rating: 4/5
Listen to “Good News”
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