Lost Ocean finds new production sounds in EMI e.p. Night to Life - By N.L. Belardes

The boys of Lost Ocean geared up recently for a big tour up the California coast and into Oregon and Washington. They have a big new e.p. recorded at Windyham Farm castle, AKA, “The Castle”, a big stony structure even more fondly known as Al Capone’s castle. It was his bookmaker John Welch’s lair in the late Twenties and into the 30s. The castle rests on a hill overlooking Nashville, and for a spell was where Credential Recordings—Bakersfield band Lost Ocean’s EMI label—sent them for a wild ride through big league recording sessions.


Lost Ocean records in Nashville

Credential Recordings, an affiliate of EMI, paid for the whole enchilada. Or was Lost Ocean placed on their label by EMI? Or do such sub-labels bid for bands? I’m not sure how it works.

What I can say is: Lost Ocean is a group of exciting young musicians making rock music with a positive flair that has girls flocking to their shows.

OK I’m exaggerating, but not by much. Girls do dig the boys of Lost Ocean. I've seen it first hand: oogling eyes and chest heavy sighs at a Lost Ocean performance. These guys are the natural blonde version of those old Abbey Road guys and with California style and charm. Their entire image change has recently been spun by their studio with a wholesome sound and a clothing line backing up their progress to stardom. Yes, Ephraim Clothing endorses Lost Ocean with their mild Christian tones and hip styles.



Trendy? Only as trendy as you or I might want to be. Emo? Actually that’s a strange word that is ambiguous in its description of hair styles and trendy pop music more than anything. Lost Ocean’s music reflects a spirituality far deeper than catchy radio songs you’d buy off the rack at Starbucks (Although their clothes mark them as middle class trend setters).

Take their underground CD, Douse the Choir, a ballad-filled CD of keyboard symphonic sounds. It’s deeply complex musically though lyrically skims the surface of man’s connection between spirituality, temptation and humanity. It’s lightly preachy but the music steals the show and pulls you from the message into a deep sound ala Coldplay meets the Beatles with a smattering of Burt Bacharach. Leave out the Elvis Costello duets. Lost Ocean music rocks—it’s a splash of sound, not sinister at all like a creepy industrial Korn groove (Gotta love the Bakersfield nu-metal world takeover), but more joyful, passionate rocking sounds that speak to an audience that they’re trying to widen with the polished sounds from their new e.p. Night to Life.


Lost Ocean silliness...


Many Lost Ocean fans have yet to be made, but hopefully will see the new light of this exciting young band through their intensely enjoyable e.p. It’s a catchier trip than the now hard-to-find Douse the Choir.

I asked Bret Black, bass player for Lost Ocean, "What's the reaction been so far to Lost Ocean's more radio friendly sounds and the new Night to Life e.p.?"

Bret wrote:

We've gotten a really good response. Our initial stuff (douse the choir) was a little more artsy...well, I dont know I'd like to think the new stuff is just as or even more artsy then before; just smarter. Douse the Choir was pretty much the 11 out of the first 13 songs we had recorded so we weren't even sure what we sounded like. We just knew what those songs sounded like. I think once we started writing a lot more we got to see how our songs really sounded and what we'd like to accomplish, and I think "night to life" represents that sound. We're really very happy with the great response we've gotten from everyone. Everyone's been great but the ep is really just a little idea we had to do, something to use until the record gets released. The album we're working on is what we really want people to hear. That's what we're really excited about.

Now here's my take on Night to Life:

“Lights” begins with Skyler’s trademark keyboard sounds—piano and the hum of synth noise. In comes Jeff Grey’s guitar work and voice over the melody of music in piano riffs edged over a distorted chorus. Trademark sounds at Skyler’s young age? Yes, because he’s an original Bakersfield rocking style of keyboard sounds as he gels with his cohorts in rock and roll. Although, locally, Rohan from Behold a Pale Horse and Jenny of the Dusk Devils would give him a run for his money on pure keyboard talent. Not to mention, Rohan has dreads and can make his eyes roll up into the back of his head while he performs. Maybe Skyler will grow into that (Rohan trivia: he performs music and makes a guest appearance in Hectic Films Fly on the Wall Episode 3)



I get sucked into “Just Glide” every time I listen to Night to Life. Once again, it’s those darn Skyler keyboard hooks. Of course Christopher Short gets a little militaristic with his drumming which has been a percussion sound that’s captured me since the first time I listened to Sunday Bloody Sunday back in the 1980s. Jeff Grey sings a catchy melody that’s far more radio friendly than any Lost Ocean song I’ve ever heard. “Come with me it’s time to move our feet…”

“You Are” is song about choices and hiding. I like a song that I can listen to lyrics and hear a message. Lost Ocean's lyrics are a discourse through human issues that people grapple with every day. “I’ve been worried about you. Maybe I had it all too well. You are somewhere else. You are… Something’s troubling you. It’s not difficult to see you were someone else. You were… You were strong a while. You learned to fake a smile…One chose to stay, the other flew away. One chose to stray… the promises they made…We will try to hide. We will make it on our own…”



Lost Ocean’s most powerful song on Night to Life is “Everything Is”. It’s a strong piece of music on all fronts and has a very Beatlesque tone with an easily addicting chorus. Bret Black adds some driving bass that makes the song really work as a passionate Lost Ocean work of art. It’s the mix on this song, and a mastering sheen that really makes the song work so well with Jeff’s vocals… the keyboards hover throughout.

Although I’ve listened to their CD about 50 times by now, I still find “For Our Sake” one of the weaker Lost Ocean songs. It has its strong points in that it’s driven by Lost Ocean’s great ability to throw in a catchy chorus. And though it ends the e.p. well, it’s Night to Life’s other songs that make me constantly listen through halfway again before I take the CD out of the player.


Click on the above banner to purchase Night to Life

Lost Ocean is on the rise with a big tour with the band Ruth, and then a Credential Recordings tour—both beginning as soon as 2007 hits.

This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on Wednesday, November 29, 2006. You can leave your response.