Album: Effloresce by Oceanize

So I just picked up this KILLER album called Effloresce by a band named Oceansize.

I tend to like music that has complicated parts that don't overshadow the song as a whole while employing a wide dynamic range and creative sonics. Oh, and it also has to rock.

It's really perilous because when you put to much emphasis on the parts you end up with Dream Theater. I want something that is intellectually and emotionally engaging, not something to listen to while I play Dungeons and Dragons and make 1:18 scale models of the Millenium Falcon.

Oceansize fits the bill. The sound is all over the place, but cohesive, and reminds me of parts of other music I love blended together in an interesting way. One of the main influences I hear is latter-day Faith No more. The singer often evokes Mike Patton's wild howls as well as his eerily unsettling croon. The guitar has plenty of Rahiohead-like OK Computer ring mod and whammy sounds, while also bringing the aforementioned Faith No More's guitar sounds with shades of Porcupine Tree, Incubus (die-hard FNM fans themselves) and even some quieter Tortoise type sounds.

I'm not super familiar with the album yet, but I can see this being a favorite in the long run. It's frenetic, structured, loud, quiet, complex and flowing all at the same time. It's a mighty album, give it a spin.