Frames (album)
Encyclopedia
Frames is the third studio album by British
alternative rock
band Oceansize
, released on October 1, 2007 on Superball Music
. The album marks the first appearance of bassist Steven Hodson, following the departure of Jon Ellis in 2005.
In May 2008, the band re-released the album with an accompanying DVD, featuring a full performance of the album, a documentary focusing on the making of the album, and various live tracks. The package also includes an Oceansize sticker.
The band played the album in full on October 18, 2008 in Manchester
as part of a trilogy of shows that celebrated the band's ten year anniversary.
Vocalist/guitarist Mike Vennart states that:
, which includes a time signature of "11/8 or 9/8, so when we were naming the song it was like 'it's in 11, it's in 9, it's got to be 9/11",
Regarding the album, Vennart states that:
Guitarist/Keyboardist Gambler revealed that Frames was his favourite record, stating that "after the changes that happened after Everyone Into Position
– new bass player and new manager – that album seemed like a great achievement, kind of a new beginning.". In this record, Gambler plays more keyboards than in previous and successive albums.
Vennart however admitted that Frames was not the original title of the album. "The album was supposed to be called The Frame, after the song on the album, but then one of our friends, who’s in Future of The Left, said ‘I love the title… Frames, isn’t it?’ We just thought, ‘well it wasn’t, but that’s a lot better. It’s an angular title, it evokes strength and structure and it’s quite cinematic. But hey, whatever you think it means, that’s what it means!"
. On the label it read 'For ages 9-11', and when he sold it to me he said "oh, here's one of our commemorative 9/11 teeshirts," so I got thinking about what sort of person would wear a 9/11 teeshirt. Someone who's not really looking to the future.
and Guns N' Roses
guitarist Robin Finck
. Guitarist Gambler states that Finck is "a hero of mine. We saw his art; it is pretty ambiguous and amazing, so we just asked him if could we use some of his stuff."
‘s 10 essential progressive rock
albums of the decade.
Metal Storm.net gave the album a positive review, stating that "(the band)...didn't take so many risks but...found the way to write an album a lot deeper than its two previous ones....Frames is a classy album which confirms that Oceansize deserves to be at the top of the list of the new wave of progressive bands." MusicOMH was also positive, in saying that the "instrumental track An Old Friend Of The Christies builds on a simple chorale-like statement to shake the rafters, while Trail Of Fire and Savant feature particularly impressive codas. Drummer Mark Heron gets in on the act, too, with some heavy gunfire in the fills of Commemorative T-Shirt and some most effective stick work evident even in the underpinning rhythms."
Scene Point Blank praised the work of producer/mixer Chris Sheldon
, saying that "(Sheldon) actually matters a lot because he was more effective in bridging the group's melody with the experimental wildfire that permeates their existence. The influence of previous hands is particularly appreciated in the vocals department. With Sheldon back, gone are those all too frequent moments of Mike Vennart's croons being completely shredded into non-existence thanks to the tornado of guitars and drums that dominate the lion's share of Oceansize's material." The review continued on, stating that "Frames brandishes the near full cultivation of everything Oceansize has been trying to accomplish in such a brief period of time. Already proving to be light-years ahead of so many of their peers, one can only wait with bated breath to see what they do next. For the time being though, this record won't be leaving the rotation anytime soon."
B-Sides
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Oceansize
Oceansize
Oceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
, released on October 1, 2007 on Superball Music
Superball music
Superball Music is a German independent record label, launched on 1 October 2007. Superball Myspace page claims that "The label’s focus will be on keen, young rock acts with a stylistic range that is centred on independent and alternative music, as well as acts that transcend genres and include a...
. The album marks the first appearance of bassist Steven Hodson, following the departure of Jon Ellis in 2005.
In May 2008, the band re-released the album with an accompanying DVD, featuring a full performance of the album, a documentary focusing on the making of the album, and various live tracks. The package also includes an Oceansize sticker.
The band played the album in full on October 18, 2008 in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
as part of a trilogy of shows that celebrated the band's ten year anniversary.
Vocalist/guitarist Mike Vennart states that:
The Album
The album features "a lot of songs about grudges and negative energy”, with the song "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt", inspired by a gift to Vennart by band CardiacsCardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
, which includes a time signature of "11/8 or 9/8, so when we were naming the song it was like 'it's in 11, it's in 9, it's got to be 9/11",
Regarding the album, Vennart states that:
Guitarist/Keyboardist Gambler revealed that Frames was his favourite record, stating that "after the changes that happened after Everyone Into Position
Everyone Into Position
Everyone into Position is the second studio album by British progressive rock band Oceansize, released on 19 September 2005 on Beggars Banquet...
– new bass player and new manager – that album seemed like a great achievement, kind of a new beginning.". In this record, Gambler plays more keyboards than in previous and successive albums.
Title
Lead singer, Mike Vennart, notes that the title: “evokes strength and structure, and kind of a sense of time as well – every second is like a frame of your life that’s ticking away and then it’s gone. You can try and remember to try and look at it. But you’ll probably only remember it as a snapshot, you won’t remember the whole movement of the thing.”Vennart however admitted that Frames was not the original title of the album. "The album was supposed to be called The Frame, after the song on the album, but then one of our friends, who’s in Future of The Left, said ‘I love the title… Frames, isn’t it?’ We just thought, ‘well it wasn’t, but that’s a lot better. It’s an angular title, it evokes strength and structure and it’s quite cinematic. But hey, whatever you think it means, that’s what it means!"
Song Trivia
Mike Vennart states that "Commemorative ____ T-Shirt" - originally entitled "Commemorative 9/11 T-Shirt" - doesn't have "anything to do with 9/11. I was sold a t-shirt by the singer of the CardiacsCardiacs
Cardiacs are an English alternative rock/psychedelic pop band formed in 1977 and led by Tim Smith. Noted for their complex, varied and intense compositional style and for their eccentric, theatrical stage shows, they have been hailed as an influence by bands as diverse as Blur, Faith No More and...
. On the label it read 'For ages 9-11', and when he sold it to me he said "oh, here's one of our commemorative 9/11 teeshirts," so I got thinking about what sort of person would wear a 9/11 teeshirt. Someone who's not really looking to the future.
Artwork
The ink drawings, featured in the album's artwork, are by Nine Inch NailsNine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
and Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
guitarist Robin Finck
Robin Finck
Robin Finck is an American guitarist of Nine Inch Nails and former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses. He is one of only a few artists who has played in two different bands listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"; Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses .-Career:Finck grew up in Marietta,...
. Guitarist Gambler states that Finck is "a hero of mine. We saw his art; it is pretty ambiguous and amazing, so we just asked him if could we use some of his stuff."
Reception
The album was named as one of Classic RockClassic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
‘s 10 essential progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
albums of the decade.
Metal Storm.net gave the album a positive review, stating that "(the band)...didn't take so many risks but...found the way to write an album a lot deeper than its two previous ones....Frames is a classy album which confirms that Oceansize deserves to be at the top of the list of the new wave of progressive bands." MusicOMH was also positive, in saying that the "instrumental track An Old Friend Of The Christies builds on a simple chorale-like statement to shake the rafters, while Trail Of Fire and Savant feature particularly impressive codas. Drummer Mark Heron gets in on the act, too, with some heavy gunfire in the fills of Commemorative T-Shirt and some most effective stick work evident even in the underpinning rhythms."
Scene Point Blank praised the work of producer/mixer Chris Sheldon
Chris Sheldon
Chris Sheldon is a record producer, particularly of rock music, based in London, UK. He has produced or mixed records for the Foo Fighters, Garbage, Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Oceansize and Pixies amongst others...
, saying that "(Sheldon) actually matters a lot because he was more effective in bridging the group's melody with the experimental wildfire that permeates their existence. The influence of previous hands is particularly appreciated in the vocals department. With Sheldon back, gone are those all too frequent moments of Mike Vennart's croons being completely shredded into non-existence thanks to the tornado of guitars and drums that dominate the lion's share of Oceansize's material." The review continued on, stating that "Frames brandishes the near full cultivation of everything Oceansize has been trying to accomplish in such a brief period of time. Already proving to be light-years ahead of so many of their peers, one can only wait with bated breath to see what they do next. For the time being though, this record won't be leaving the rotation anytime soon."
Track listing
- "Commemorative ____ T-Shirt" – 8:37
- "Unfamiliar" – 6:32
- "Trail of Fire" – 8:06
- "Savant" – 8:06
- "Only Twin" – 7:22
- "An Old Friend of the Christy's" – 10:19
- "Sleeping Dogs and Dead Lions" – 6:42
- "The Frame" – 10:40
B-Sides
- "Voorhees" – 11:10
Band
- Mike Vennart - vocals, guitar
- Gambler - guitar, keyboards
- Steve Durose - guitar, vocals
- Steven Hodson - bass, keyboards, cymbals
- Mark Heron - drums, percussion
Recording personnel
- Chris SheldonChris SheldonChris Sheldon is a record producer, particularly of rock music, based in London, UK. He has produced or mixed records for the Foo Fighters, Garbage, Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Oceansize and Pixies amongst others...
- producer, engineer, recording, mixing - OceansizeOceansizeOceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
- producer - Jim Anderson - assistant engineer
- Dick Beetham - mastering
Artwork
- Robin FinckRobin FinckRobin Finck is an American guitarist of Nine Inch Nails and former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses. He is one of only a few artists who has played in two different bands listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"; Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses .-Career:Finck grew up in Marietta,...
- ink drawings - Carl Godwin - photography
- Sandra Hiltmann - design