Modest but effective power pop

Julie Ocean - Long Gone And Nearly There
Posted by Laila Hanson on 07-Jul-08 @ 03:53 PM

[3/5]
With big, round guitar hooks, Evan Dando-esque vocal inflections backed by woo-woo harmonies and tight little two-minute songs, Julie Ocean's debut is a leap back to the power-pop past. Featuring former Velocity Girl drummer Jim Spellman on lead vocals and guitar and produced by Geoff Sanoff (Fountains of Wayne, Luna), this 25-minute sugar nip comes by its lineage honestly, swirling through the formula with no small sense of joy. That being said, like much power pop, occasionally Long Gone And Nearly There feels like a Technicolor cartoon packing a bit more clichéd style than any real insight. While the hook on "Here Comes Danny" works even when you see it coming, "#1 Song" inevitably feels a bit forced. Still, the simple confidence and chirp of the whole thing helps it land nicely and with warm returns. (TRANSIT OF VENUS) Jeff Leven


Official Website: http://www.transitofvenusmusic.com