MP3: Oceano da Cruz - Mr. Beerbourineman
Like labelmates Figurines, Oceano da Cruz plays the kind of by-the-numbers indierock that'll probably remind you of so many other artists. But also like Figurines, Oceano da Cruz does it with a certain level of finesse that makes them far superior to most of other dreck out there. So while it's not terribly original, it's charming, well-played and well-written. What more do you need? The new CD "Rocksploitation/No more Oceanomania..." is actually a double-album, so it runs a bit long for a single sitting, but if you break it up either by using the convoluted directions in the hard-to-read liner notes or splitting it in half down the middle, it's quite satisfying. Usually I'm all about artists trying to push boundaries and expand musical horizons, but there's something to be said for someone that can make well-tread territory sound fresh. Actually, that's often far more difficult.
Oceano da Cruz - Mr. Beerbourineman