- BY FRED SPANNER
The Wombats: “Oh The Ocean” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Making a Splash: The Wombats Reel in a Big One with Their Best Album Yet
Some wrote them off as a gimmick when their debut burst onto the scene, packed with offbeat bangers and quirky charm. But guess what? The Wombats have stuck around, outlasting the doubters and proving, album after album, that they’re the real deal.
And this latest record sees the Liverpool lads return with a setlist of killer tunes, razor-sharp lyrics, and more hooks than a fisherman’s tackle box.
‘Oh! The Ocean’ kicks off with ‘Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come’, a tune that instantly speaks to anyone who’d rather ghost a party than suffer through small talk. “It’s not that I hate you. I just hate everyone.” An absolute anthem for the socially drained. Then there’s ‘Can’t Say No’, a slick, slow-burner that’s been racking up radio spins in all the right places.
‘Blood On The Hospital Floor’ is built for festival chaos. Expect flares, chanting, and pints flying through the air. Just when you think they might ease up, along comes ‘Kate Moss’, a trippy, synth-heavy dreamscape that drifts into another dimension at times.
‘My Head Is Not My Friend’ is a raw, self-destruction confessional, whilst on a similar theme ‘The World’s Not Out To Get Me, I Am’ sneaks up on you like a late-night revelation. And just when you think the ride’s over, they hit you with ‘Lobster’, a final, triumphant wave goodbye before you inevitably hit repeat.
Wombats diehards will devour it, but this album will reel in fresh fans by the boatload. Miss this one and you’ll be drowning in regret. So, what are you waiting for? Jump in. The waters just fine.
Stand-out tracks: “The World’s Not Out To Get Me, I Am”, “Can’t Say No ”.
