Photo: Darin Back
In the quaint, chocolate-scented town of Hershey, PA, a group of teenagers cast their melodies into the world with their self-titled debut as The Ocean Blue, a record birthed under the banner of Sire Records. With its ever-watchful eye on the cultural horizon, MTV embraced the young band as they made their mark on the burgeoning alternative music landscape. During their early days, they crafted catchy singles such as “Between Something And Nothing,” “Ballerina Out of Control,” and ethereal tracks like “Drifting, Falling.” These songs became widely recognized on College and Modern Rock radio and paved the way for their rise to prominence in the indie rock and dream pop genres.
The Ocean Blue has a remarkable collection of songs called “Davy Jones’ Locker” as part of their vast musical catalog. This treasured album was created after the band terminated their partnership with a major record label and embraced the newfound freedom to self-release their work. Prior to this, they had released three highly praised albums under Sire Records and one under PolyGram/Mercury. However, with “Davy Jones’ Locker,” the band charted a course towards unexplored territories. The music is experimental, with unrestricted sounds, imaginative arrangements, and poetic lyrics, serving as a beacon towards musical exploration.
“It’s definitely our most eclectic and least fussy record,” explains lead singer and songwriter David Schelzel about the wide re-release of Davy Jones’ Locker. “It is our first truly independent release, and the first record we did entirely on our own, in our own studios with some help from friends but no outside producer or engineer.”
The music of Davy Jones’ Locker has a timeless quality that spans both the past and present of alternative music. Its playful and jangly sound blends perfectly with the iconic music of the 80s, combining the dreamy melancholy of the Smiths, the electric pulse of New Order, and the bright and breezy sound of Lightning Seeds. Likewise, it complements the music of modern artists like Cigarettes After Sex, Beach House, and Fontaines DC.
To celebrate the reissue of the album, a brand new video for the song “Denmark” has been released. In the video, the band reflects on their history while also looking towards the present. Director Zeke Anders has skillfully created a visual representation of The Ocean Blue’s journey, depicting them at a literal and metaphorical crossroads in an airport. The video shows David framed by images of the band’s past and present, highlighting the beginnings of their musical exploration and their continued growth.
“The first line of the song is ‘Like mist or a daydream, made of substance can you feel it?’ and it begins a lyrical trip into musings about the past, the present moment, and the future direction of the band,” explains David
Recalling the creation of the video, he adds: “The setting of the song is the band’s tour of Denmark which marked a turning point for us, as one of the founding members of the band left right after that tour and a current member joined us. The video does an amazing job of capturing all of these themes and moods. Better to see it than explain it.”
Watch the new video for “Denmark” below
With a tour in support of the re-release of Davy Jones’ Locker, The Ocean Blue will be playing a host of shows kicking off on Labor Day weekend in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis, and hitting cities such as Washington DC, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Houston, Miami and concluding in Phoenix on Nov. 18th.
The Reissue of Davy Jones’ Locker is out on August 25 via Korda Records.
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