Music Review: Direct Divide, Own Your Ocean

By Tyler Hodg

Seattle has been home to a number of incredible bands—Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Band of Horses, to name a few—and one up-and-coming group plans to prove they are worthy of being added to that list. With their latest EP Own Your Ocean, Direct Divide showcases their unique style of music through five songs of unapologetic symphonic-rock. While the EP isn’t absolutely perfect, it’s an ideal indication of what is to come from the clearly focused band.

The first thing about Own Your Ocean that quickly becomes apparent is that there are a variety of different instruments featured. The opening song “Kick It” begins with an almost sorrowful sounding piano passage, before the full band—including drums, bass, guitar, violin, and vocals—elevates the song into slightly more optimistic track. The mixture of the six instruments (and whatever may be layered underneath) creates an intriguing sound that takes some getting used to, but becomes fully realized by the second song, “Renegade.” More digital-sounding than the first, in this song the piano is traded for a keyboard, which adds a welcome twist on how the band’s music was initially presented.

As the EP progresses, so does the sound of the rest of the songs. “Tide is Rising” and “1000 Years” are both ballads, yet with two different themes and feelings. While “Tide is Rising” is more of a traditional, grand-sounding song (comparable to something Evanescence might have put out), “1000 Years” is much more progressive. Although the piano is what drives the latter song, it’s the guitar work that adds an almost ominous feeling. The last track, “We Are Legion,” could not be any more different than the two ballads, and is easily the most hard-hitting song on Own Your Ocean.

While most of Own Your Ocean hits perfectly on target, there is one thing that is noticeably missing: grit. The EP sounds much too clean and could have benefitted from the addition of some supplementary attitude in the singing, playing, and overall sound. When listening to the music, mistakes of any kind are basically non-existent, which on the surface seems ideal, but in reality can take away the human aspect. It’s not about making mistakes as much as it is not worrying about them when they happen.

That issue aside, there is little to complain about regarding Own Your Ocean, and plenty to appreciate. Between the well-written songs and clear vision for the band, Direct Divide could be on the path to becoming a major player in the rock scene. The array of instruments—most notably the violin that runs throughout the entire EP—makes the music that much more unique, which is never a bad attribute to possess. Own Your Ocean is short and sweet, providing all who listen to it a feeling of satisfaction.

Own Your Ocean was released on July 24 and is available to buy from Direct Divide’s Bandcamp.