Review || Being As An Ocean - "Waiting For Morning To Come"

If Albert Einstein was right and everything should be made as simple as possible but not one bit simpler, "Waiting For Morning To Come" requires that the listener approaches it with open mind. 

Guitarist Tyler Ross strips the essence of the album to its basic core in a beautifully ambient way, while firmly grasping on elemental Being As An Ocean traits. In that subtractive mindset, the guitars and bass, although present at most times, are not on the forefront, leaving the vocal performances fully exposed. Vocalist Joel Quartuccio, who is known for his theatricality, bears the weight of guiding his audience through the stories that he paints. The almost haunting clean singing of guitarist Michael McGough harmoniously seconds Quartuccio. The final result is a genuine, almost intimate, interpretation as if advising confiding to a friend about love, betrayal, and loneliness. 

The whole album resembles an unconventional game of twists and symbols. The tenth track, "eB tahT srewoP ehT" is recorded backwards. When played correctly, it unveils a poignant, almost cynical, criticism to contemporary society, from false sense of morality to indoctrination to police brutality. Furthermore, the titles of the songs seem to form an intriguing story when put together, which only adds to the overall ambience of the album. As it unfolds, we are greeted with a bright contrast between the solemn lyrics that outline ample distrust as a means of survival and the music that consists of samples, piano interludes and a compelling, innate rhythmic character.

WFMTC gradually grows on the listener. On the first spin, curiosity prevails; on the second, the different elements start to stand out through hair-raising at times combinations of electronic elements and enticing vocal performances, like on “Glow”. Our “protagonist”, in all his frailty, not once does he give up. He still fights even if the cause seems long lost. The title track that closes the album in the most unexpected way, acts as the conclusion; lyrically, it manifests that, in the course of our lives, pain will both break and heal us, even shape us, while musically, in a way it serves as a liaison between this new era and what appears to be the band’s former(?) self.

Regardless, the compositions truly shine in the absence of their usual components; everything is different yet this is more Being As An Ocean than ever.

9.5/10

Buy "Waiting For Morning To Come" here and support the band.

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