We Are the Ocean

Add Date: January 24 

Artist: We Are the Ocean 

Album: Go Now and Live 

Label: SideOneDummy 

Genre: Rock, punk 

Comments: Hailing from Essex in eastern England, the 5-piece band We Are the Ocean meshes hardcore and punk-leaning alternative in a way that sounds like some strange hybrid of Rise Against and The Gaslight Anthem (the latter of whom, it should be noted, are We Are the Ocean's labelmates on SideOneDummy). The dual lead-singer setup of Liam Cromby and Dan Brown--on the band's Wikipedia page, Cromby is listed as singing "clean vocals", while Brown is credited with "screaming vocals"--accomplishes this mix quite well. The music is tight and cleanly produced; if not for Brown's hardcore-influenced voice, I'd describe this as melodic pop-punk.

Interesting stuff. Start with the excellent "What It Feels Like", and also check out "Trouble Is Temporary, Time Is Tonic", "The Waiting Room" and "Now and Then".