Reviews of Oceanographer
Deftly bridging the gap between the lovely French electronic movements of Air and the touching classic American soft rock of a Gerry Rafferty or Michael Murphey—all the while including the subtle rancor found within the products of such otherwise grandiose bands as Coldplay and U2—Oceanographer arises from the BK indie pile as a singular, wonderful delight. Led by the sad, steady vocals of Jeremy Yocum, this group can easily aim for levels of midlevel major success, and if the right ears find them…well, let’s just say Oceanographer could very well end up a band you’ll want to be able to brag that you saw back when they were only playing the little stages in town.
Metromix New York, August 2011
Beautiful and simple. Those are probably the first two words popping into your mind when you listen to Brooklyn band, Oceanographer. That wouldn’t be too far off either. Playing beautiful music was something the guys in Oceanographer were going for the entire time.
“Let’s just try to make songs, and not labor over something difficult,” says lead guitar player Kevin Plessner, “simplicity is kind of cool, [but] even though the parts might be simple, the understanding behind it is very complex.”
Jeremy Yocum (lead vocals/guitar), Eric Elterman (synths/mandocaster), Zach Eichenhorn (drums) and the recently departed Ryan Goolsby (bass) join Kevin in Oceanographer.
Even though the band is in a slight period of transition, there’s nothing wrong with marveling at the intensely pretty music they’ve conjured up. Songs like ‘Lightning’ and ‘When December Comes’ wash over you with equal parts tranquility, splendor, and precision.
Together the four, soon to be five, members of the band combine to create an interlocking music box full of harmonies and melodies, serene enough to feel as though they might just float away before you can really grasp them. Impeccably tuneful vocals from Jeremy really bring everything home.
“It’s a testament to how well crafted the songs are, we’re all cognizant of different parts and where everything fits,” says Zach. “We’re definitely about crafting songs,” adds Jeremy.
Yet what’s most interesting about the band, is that they always seem to know how to hit those ‘just right’ moments. “To me the notes that we play,” says Kevin, “feel like the right notes and I love that.”
All of this comes from the band’s excellent ability to play off one another, never using a song to showboat or take away from anyone else. “We’re all very humble about our parts. Down to the point where if someone doesn’t like a lyric I’m singing then I’ll change it,” says Jeremy. “When we write parts it’s not ‘how can I show off’ but ‘how can I make the song better?’” adds Eric.
After playing their first show on July 15th, 2001, Oceanographer has gone through a bunch of different stages, including a break-up in 2006. But, luckily for listeners everywhere, Oceanographer got back together in 2009 and they seem to be doing better than ever.
“The musicians I’m playing with are the best musicians I’ve ever played with,” says Jeremy. Jeremy isn’t alone in his sentiment either. “I’m frequently humbled that I get to play with musicians of this level. We’ve all become better musicians because of each other.” Even the recently departed Ryan, who moved to Texas at the time of this interview, “wrote some of the catchiest bass lines I’ve ever heard,” according to Jeremy.
Whether it’s their experience, their humility, or their considerable, these musicians just seem too good to make any wrong moves. Listening to the band is listening to a group that is more than the sum of its parts, and players who all embrace that idea. “We’re currently moving forward with great momentum,” says Jeremy. “[We all] just want to take it to that next big step,” says Kevin.
Aaron Miguel Santos of Blaqbook, April 2011
Sometimes you just have to jump in. Sometimes you just have to ride the wave and see where you end up. Such was the case last night, when I ended up at Trash Bar and ended up enjoying the hell out of an excellent Brooklyn band, Oceanographer.
Hearing about Trash Bar again and again, but never actually going there, and never having heard Oceanographer but having heard of them, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
As usual, the typical assortment of Williamsburg hipsters greeted me at the door. There were girls wearing way too big glasses and guys with beards so big they could pass for Hasidic Jews.
Dive-y enough to assume that someone threw up on the floor the night before, Trash Bar definitely embraced it’s this-place-is-a-toilet-but-we-like-it-like-that-way aesthetic. Funnily enough, the last thing I was about to see was a dirty rock and roll show.
From the first notes to the last rumble of the drums, Oceanographer threw their hooks in me and didn’t let me go. Shimmering riffs coupled with the interlocking precision of a clicking typewriter, these guys were on point. Again and again, the guys in Oceanographer dropped beautiful riff after beautiful riff on me.
Most striking about this band was the space they give listeners. Swaying back and forth like waves crashing against the beach, there was nothing in your face about Oceanographer. As a result you’re just left with intricate, delicate, and for lack of a better word, pretty music.
Going to places you’ve never been before is kind of like spinning a roulette wheel. Sometimes you come up double zeros, sometimes you land on black, sometimes you hit the star. Watching Oceanographer perform last night was like landing on the star, in the most gorgeous way possible.
Aaron Miguel Santos of Blaqbook, March 2011