Ocean Beach (album)

Ocean Beach
Studio album by Red House Painters
Released March 27, 1995
Recorded 1994
Genre Folk rock[1], sadcore
Length 54:24
Language English
Label 4AD
Producer Mark Kozelek
Red House Painters chronology
Shock Me EP
(1994)Shock Me EP1994		 Ocean Beach
(1995)		 Songs for a Blue Guitar
(1996)Songs for a Blue Guitar1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Rolling Stone[2]
Pitchfork(8.4/10)[3]
Select[4]

Ocean Beach is the fourth studio album by Red House Painters, released in 1995 by 4AD. The album saw the group and Mark Kozelek move toward a more pastoral and folk-influenced arrangement style, in contrast to the lengthy, droning epics that featured on their early albums. Ocean Beach was also the last album to feature founding guitarist Gorden Mack, as well as being the band's last studio album released by 4AD. The album features an unlisted hidden track, referred to as "Brockwell Park (Part 2)" less than 20 seconds after "Drop" ends. The double 10" vinyl release of the album (now long out of print) features the band's acoustic cover of Yes' 1971 hit "Long Distance Runaround." Kozelek would go on to record another version of the song (with electric guitars and an extended outro) for Red House Painters' next album, Songs for a Blue Guitar.

A rarely seen music video was produced for the song "Summer Dress."[5]

An original idea for the album's front cover artwork was a photo of what could be broken pews in an abandoned church, or old beds in an abandoned hospital ward.[6]

Reception

Select gave the album a rating of four out of five, stating that "Kozelek is right up there among the new breed of rootsy singer-songwriters"[4]

Ocean Beach was ranked #58 on Pitchfork Media on the original version of the Top 100 Albums of the 1990s list. [7]

Track listing

All tracks written by Mark Kozelek, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Cabezon"3:09
2."Summer Dress"2:52
3."San Geronimo"7:37
4."Shadows"6:02
5."Over My Head"7:01
6."Red Carpet"2:34
7."Brockwell Park"3:51
8."Moments"7:52
9."Drop" / "Brockwell Park (Part 2)" (Hidden Track)13:26

Double 10" vinyl release

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Cabezon"3:09
2."Summer Dress"2:52
3."San Geronimo"7:37
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
4."Shadows" 6:02
5."Over My Head" 7:01
6."Long Distance Runaround"Jon Anderson2:29
Side C
No.TitleLength
7."Red Carpet"2:34
8."Brockwell Park"3:51
9."Moments"7:52
Side D
No.TitleLength
10."Drop" / "Brockwell Park (Part 2)" (Hidden Track)13:26

Release history

Country Date Label Format Catalogue #
United Kingdom March 27, 1995 4AD CD CAD 5005 CD
Double 10" LP DAD D 5005
July 6, 1998 CD (reissue) GAD 5005 CD
United States March 28, 1995 Warner Bros. Records CD 9 45859-2
November 2, 1999 4AD CD (reissue) GAD 5005 CD

Notes

"Summer Dress" single

Although no commercial singles were ever released from the album, a promotional-only CD was issued for "Summer Dress" in the US in April 1995. The single features an exclusive radio edit of "San Geronimo."

Warner Bros./4AD, PRO-CD-7474:

  1. "Summer Dress – 2:52
  2. "San Geronimo" (Edit) – 5:03

References

  1. 1 2 Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Rolling Stone review
  3. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20517-box-set/
  4. 1 2 Smith, Caspar (May 1995). "New Albums". Select (59): 100.
  5. ↑ "Summer Dress" music video
  6. ↑ "Ocean Beach" cover artwork idea, 4AD's website
  7. ↑ Pitchforkmedia Top 100 Albums of the 1990s (Original List)
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