Ocean Rain

Product Information

The first three Bunnymen albums did not contain one bad song. Yes, some are better than others, but there truly was not one bad song on those albums. Then along came "Ocean Rain" and we got not one, but TWO bad songs: "Nocturnal Me" and "Yo Yo Man" (God, what a stupid title). Two awful songs. Unlistenable. Yes, there are some top songs on the album, but the two best tunes from that era are not even on the album -- the 12 inch "All Night" version of "Killing Moon" and the 12 inch "Tidal Wave" version of "Silver."

If the songs that weren’t the singles sometimes seem that they never could have been, they always manage to sound perfectly in place with the ones that were - the hits in comparison weren’t upfront or unique, just more immediately of notice. There’s the elegant strut of 'Nocturnal Me', pitching things softer and more focused on the chorus instead of the reverse, or the way 'My Kingdom' has each verse line suddenly climb up then ease down, then builds each chorus to a sudden thrilling peak. 'Crystal Days' and its descending guitar line that showcases the psych freak always at the heart of Sergeant’s playing, broken up by de Freitas on the break with a gleeful but always tuneful clatter, a percussive melody, might be my sleeper favourite this time around. Ask me again next time, maybe it’s 'The Yo-Yo Man'. I like it when an album is an embarrassment of riches and can’t make me obviously decide, when it shouldn’t to start with. Over the years since its release, the album has attracted more positive commentary and also sometimes more nuanced views. In a highly praising retrospective review on AllMusic, Jason Ankeny gave the album a 5-star rating. He described it as "dramatic and majestic", praising the "sweeping string arrangements and hauntingly evocative production." He felt that in comparison to the band's album Porcupine, the "conventional and simple structural parameters" of Ocean Rain made it Echo & the Bunnymen's "most beautiful and memorable effort" and he asserted that "The Killing Moon" was the band's "unrivalled pinnacle". [34]a b "Echo & The Bunnymen to perform 'Ocean Rain' at Radio City". NME. 9 May 2008. ISSN 0028-6362 . Retrieved 1 July 2008. a b Adam Sweeting (17 September 2008). "Review: Echo and the Bunnymen at The Albert Hall". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 10 December 2008. a b Roberts, David, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19thed.). London, England: HIT Entertainment. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

Earls, John (November–December 2021). "Echo & the Bunnymen: Crocodiles / Heaven Up Here / Porcupine / Ocean Rain / Flowers / Siberia". Classic Pop. No.72. p.91. Batey, Angus (19 September 2008). "Echo and the Bunnymen". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 December 2008.a b Harrison, Andrew. "Echo & the Bunnymen: (various reissues)". Blender. Archived from the original on 16 February 2009 . Retrieved 16 May 2008.