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Oh Captain My Captain

Recklessly She Split the Sea

(Bladen County; US: 11 Nov 2008)

The phrase “Oh Captain My Captain” has been made famous twice, originally by Walt Whitman and then over 100 years later by the slightly lesser poet Robin Williams. Adopting the quote for their band name, could a young Portland Oregon quartet make the third time the proverbial charm? Eh.


Recklessly Split the Sea is fine effort to be sure, squeezing proggy, ‘70s chooglin’ rock into compact and melodic frames.  Singer Jesse Bettis has nice timbre and range, sounding a bit like Chris what’s-his-name from Coldplay when he swoops up into a falsetto, an effective move on songs like the highlight “Don’t Be a Hero”. The rest of the band crunches and stomps well through the pauses and shifting dynamics of “Prize Fighter” and “This Ship’s Gonna Sink”, but ultimately there’s not enough that stands out beyond solid workmanship; there’s just not enough poetry.

Rating:

Michael Metivier has lived and worked everywhere from New Orleans to Chicago to New York to Boston. He currently lives in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, with his bride-to-be and two hilarious guinea pigs. He records and performs original songs under the name "Oweihops".


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