Mechanical Wonder

Last updated

Mechanical Wonder
Mechanical Wonder.jpg
Studio album by
Ocean Colour Scene
Released9 April 2001
RecordedNovember 2000 Loco Studios, Moseley Shoals & The Fallout Shelter
Genre Alternative rock, blues rock
Length42:51
Label Island
Producer Martin 'Max' Heyes
Ocean Colour Scene chronology
One from the Modern
(1999)		Mechanical Wonder
(2001)		 North Atlantic Drift
(2003)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
entertainment.ie Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
The Herald Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Pitchfork 6.9/10 [7]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]
RTÉ.ie Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Under the Radar 5/10 [10]

Mechanical Wonder is the fifth album by Ocean Colour Scene. It peaked on the UK album chart at #7 and lasted four weeks in the top 75. To date, it is the last Ocean Colour Scene release to enter the top 10.

Contents

Simon Fowler wrote in the liner notes of the band's greatest hits album "Songs for the Front Row" that the title referred to cars on the motorway. Live however, Simon Fowler often sings "and the radio plays only fucking Radio 1", a possible reference to the lack of airplay the band get. The other single from the album was "Up on the Downside", which fared better in the charts. The album was not a success, marking the end of the Britpop success of the band. After the failure of the album, the band decided to release themselves from their contract with their record label.

Track listing

  1. "Up on the Downside"
  2. "In My Field"
  3. "Sail on My Boat"
  4. "Biggest Thing"
  5. "We Made It More"
  6. "Give Me a Letter"
  7. "Mechanical Wonder"
  8. "You Are Amazing"
  9. "If I Gave You My Heart"
  10. "Can't Get Back to the Baseline"
  11. "Something for Me" (UK bonus track)
  12. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" (Japanese bonus track)

Related Research Articles

<i>Songs in the Key of Life</i> 1976 studio album by Stevie Wonder

Songs in the Key of Life is the eighteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter and musician Stevie Wonder. A double album, it was released on September 28, 1976, by Tamla Records, a division of Motown. It was recorded primarily at Crystal Sound studio in Hollywood, with some sessions recorded at the Record Plant in Hollywood, the Record Plant in Sausalito, and The Hit Factory in New York City; final mixing was conducted at Crystal Sound. The album has been regarded by music journalists as the culmination of Wonder's "classic period" of recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean Colour Scene</span> English rock band

Ocean Colour Scene are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1989. They have had five top 10 albums including a number one in 1997. They have also achieved seventeen top 40 singles and six top 10 singles to date.

<i>Moseley Shoals</i> 1996 studio album by Ocean Colour Scene

Moseley Shoals is the second album by the British rock group Ocean Colour Scene which was released during the Britpop era. The album reached #2 in the UK charts, and amassed 92 weeks on chart, making it the band's most successful album in terms of weeks on chart, despite a later album reaching #1.

<i>One from the Modern</i> 1999 studio album by Ocean Colour Scene

One from the Modern is the fourth album by Ocean Colour Scene.

<i>North Atlantic Drift</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Ocean Colour Scene

North Atlantic Drift is the sixth studio album by British rock band Ocean Colour Scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Cradock</span> Musical artist

Stephen Cradock is an English guitarist, most notable for playing in the rock group Ocean Colour Scene. Cradock also plays the guitar in Paul Weller's band, having appeared on all of Weller's solo records following his self-titled debut solo album. Cradock began playing lead guitar for British ska band The Specials in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Fowler</span> Musical artist

Simon Geoffrey Fowler is an English singer and acoustic guitarist, best known as the frontman of Ocean Colour Scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar Harrison</span> British musician (born 1965)

Oscar Lloyd Harrison is a British musician who currently plays drums with Birmingham-based Ocean Colour Scene and the British ska band The Beat. He also plays piano and bass guitar, and occasionally sings lead vocals.

<i>A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad</i> 2005 studio album by Ocean Colour Scene

A Hyperactive Workout for the Flying Squad is the seventh studio album by English rock band Ocean Colour Scene. It was originally due to be released in September 2004 but Sanctuary Records requested the band record a live album instead and it was eventually released on 21 March 2005. The album was produced by Dave Eringa and recorded at a hunting lodge near Kirriemuir, Scotland. The album's unusual title was a phrase the band heard on BBC Radio 4 and decided they liked. Critical reception to the album generally agreed that the album would please Ocean Colour Scene fans, although the album charted lower than previous albums at number 30 in the UK album chart compared to number 14 for the previous album North Atlantic Drift.

<i>On the Leyline</i> 2007 studio album by Ocean Colour Scene

On the Leyline is the eighth studio album by Ocean Colour Scene. It was released on 30 April 2007 and entered the UK album charts on 6 May 2007, peaking at No.37, lasting only a single week in the top 75.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You've Got It Bad</span> 1996 single by Ocean Colour Scene

"You've Got It Bad" is a song by English rock band Ocean Colour Scene. The song was released as the second single from their second album, Moseley Shoals (1996), on 25 March 1996 and reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart. The single was also released as a demo alternative on a second CD with additional B-sides. In the United States, the song was serviced to alternative radio in August 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hundred Mile High City</span> 1997 single by Ocean Colour Scene

"Hundred Mile High City" is a song by British rock band Ocean Colour Scene, taken as the first single from their third studio album, Marchin' Already (1997). The song was released in 1997 and reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the band's joint most-successful single on the UK Singles Chart and their second-most successful in terms of number of weeks spent in the top 75, staying in for seven weeks. It was also their first single to chart in Ireland and the Netherlands, peaking at numbers 15 and 98, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Told You So (Ocean Colour Scene song)</span> 2007 single by Ocean Colour Scene

"I Told You So" is a song by Ocean Colour Scene (OCS) and the first single to be taken from the band's 2007 album On the Leyline.

Dan Sealey is the former session bass guitarist for the rock group Ocean Colour Scene. He was drafted in by the band after Damon Minchella left the band in 2003. Sealey is also in Merrymouth, a folk band with Ocean Colour Scene bandmate Simon Fowler and Adam Barry. Before joining Ocean Colour Scene Sealey was a member of the band Late.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Are the Ocean</span> English rock band

We Are the Ocean are an English rock band from Loughton, Essex, consisting of guitarist, vocalist Liam Cromby, bass guitarist Jack Spence, guitarist Alfie Scully and drummer Tom Whittaker. They are signed to Hassle Records in the United Kingdom and SideOneDummy Records in the United States. The band has released four albums: Cutting Our Teeth in 2010, Go Now and Live in 2011, Maybe Today, Maybe Tomorrow in 2012, and Ark in 2015.

<i>Saturday</i> (Ocean Colour Scene album) 2010 studio album by Ocean Colour Scene

Saturday is the ninth studio album by Ocean Colour Scene and first album by the band to be released on the Cooking Vinyl independent record label. The album was produced by Gavin Monaghan, who is also known for his work with Editors, Scott Matthews, Nizlopi and The Twang and engineered by Gazz Rogers. Saturday previously had the working title of 'Blue Sky Drinking' which was changed to 'Rockfield' and again shortly before its release to its eventual name of 'Saturday'. The first single to be released from the album was 'Magic Carpet Days' as a digital download only single, the single failed to chart. Upon its release Saturday débuted and peaked at #35 in the Official UK Album Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ocean Colour Scene discography</span>

The discography of the rock band Ocean Colour Scene consists of ten studio albums and thirty-four singles.

Merrymouth was a folk-oriented band founded by Ocean Colour Scene songwriter and vocalist Simon Fowler (guitar/vocals), Dan Sealey (guitar/piano/vocals), Mike McNamara (Bass/Piano/Organ/Guitar/Percussion) and later Adam Barry (piano/organ/accordion/harmonica/vocals).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Barry</span> Musical artist

Adam Barry is the English Hammond organ/piano/accordion/harmonica/backing vocalist for the folk group Merrymouth, led by Barry, Simon Fowler and Dan Sealey from Ocean Colour Scene. Before joining Merrymouth, Barry was a co-founder member of the band The Misers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Bennett (musician)</span> Musical artist

Andy Bennett , is an English singer and musician, best known for his work with Ocean Colour Scene.

References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Ocean Colour Scene - Mechanical Wonder AllMusic
  2. ↑ "Ocean Colour Scene - Mechanical Wonder". Alternative Press : 90. August 2001.
  3. ↑ "Ocean Colour Scene - Mechanical Wonder". entertainment.ie. 23 April 2001. Archived from the original on 9 January 2013.
  4. ↑ McGuire, Samuel (8 April 2001). "Ocean Colour Scene: Mechanical Wonder (island)". The Herald . Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2017– via HighBeam Research.
  5. ↑ Perry, Tim (7 April 2001). "Pop: Album Reviews" . The Independent . Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  6. ↑ Mulvey, John. "Ocean Colour Scene: Mechanical Wonder". NME . Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  7. ↑ Tangari, Joe. "Ocean Colour Scene: Mechanical Wonder [Ark 21]". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 4 April 2005. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Ocean Colour Scene: Mechanical Wonder". Q. May 2001. p. 116.
  9. ↑ Grealis, Tom. "Ocean Colour Scene - Mechanical Wonder". RTÉ.ie. Archived from the original on 2 March 2010.
  10. ↑ Redfern, Mark. "Ocean Colour Scene: Mechanical Wonder (Ark 21 Records)". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2020.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.