Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Hey Ocean! You're Awesome!


If I were to have the opportunity to interview Hey Ocean! personally, my list of questions would be extensive, albeit some trivial. I’d first inquire as to how imperative the exclamation point is to the band’s persona and how the trio arrived at the name. Second, I’d ask whether the fact that many of the band’s best tracks (in my opinion) favor the “water” motif is deliberate or merely coincidental. Finally, I’d probe as to how, after nine years, three albums, three EP’s, countless tours and yet almost no attention from the American media, the threesome has the stamina and fortitude to continue making such feel-good music.

Hey Ocean! is a Canadian indie rock and folk band from Vancouver. While two of the three members have been friends since childhood, it wasn’t until they met their bassist that they decided to form a band. Since 2005, the band has toured Canada widely, performing at music festivals from Calgary to Montreal. The group’s ethereal sound can be attributed to its sampling of different genres and incorporation of several instruments, including the flute. At times, the band’s sound reminds me of Sufjan Stevens (see “Islands”); at others, the female vocalist resonates a quirky pop a la Ingrid Michaelson. Regardless of the sound, I’m into it. And it couldn’t be more perfect for summer.


Here are my favorites, all off the band’s newest album IS, including a great cover of “Be My Baby.”