The Tea Party: The Ocean At The End

As the landscape of the music industry has changed in recent times, it seems we are welcoming back more and more bands after lengthy layoffs, a decade out of action - as has been the case for Canada's The Tea Party - almost the norm. However what isn't the norm is the force and power with which this Progressive Hard Rock trio announce their revival.

The emphasis on The Ocean At The End definitely seems to be on the Hard Rock, the band themselves admitting that their lengthy downtime has seen them return with an album that first and foremost pleases them and which was not "over thought" in the way they believe some of their previous efforts were. However don't take that to mean that the eleven songs presented here are simple up and down Rock for the masses; for no, no, no, that simply isn't the case.

If you're looking for easy reference points, then it would be fair to suggest that The Tea Party have over the past few years reacquainted themselves with a fair bit of Led Zeppelin, especially the Physical Graffiti album, with Page like riffing and fret runs aplenty. However the deep resonant tones of singer Jeff Martin - who also provides the guitar - change the focus in so many ways, his enigmatic delivery lifting "The L.o.C." and "The Cypher" into a more atmospheric, less bombastic, hip thrust than Zep were known for. In fact a less aggressive Orphaned Land could also be used as a touching point for these tracks. However where this album really comes into its own is through the more languid but never less driven, moments such as "Black Roses" where slide guitars mesh with busy but uncluttered snare work and possibly the most captivating vocal on the album, to quite wonderful effect. "Brazil" also adds another aspect, layers of voices jostling against brass as a Progressive Rock Flamenco suddenly appears; percussion clattered beautifully, whistles building the atmosphere. Then factor in the Bluesy stomp of "The 11th Hour", the electro-beat, tubular bell clanging "Submission", the swinging Delta Blues of "The Cass Corridor" and the slow building Pink Floyd homage of the album's title track (where spacey flute is provided by a certain Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull)) and there's never any danger of a missed step anywhere on The Ocean At The End. Oh and I haven't even mentioned the utterly fantastic melodies of "The Maker", a Daniel Lanois cover which receives an excellent makeover here, resulting in a good song becoming a great one.

The Ocean At The End is a quite stunning return from a band who already have a rightly lauded catalogue. Dare I say it? But this release tops the lot.

Track Listing
1. The L.o.C
2. The Black Sea
3. Cypher
4. The Maker
5. Black Roses
6. Brazil
7. The 11th Hour
8. Submission
9. The Cass Corridor
10. Water's On Fire
11. The Ocean At The End

Added: October 12th 2014
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: The Tea Party online
Hits: 2179
Language: english

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