Review: O.A.R.'s "In Between Now And Then"

By Dan Nied [send email]

O.A.R.
In Between Now and Then
Lava Records
Grade: B+

On their first major label release In Between Now and Then, an album where pop-rock is shaken with an Island vibe, garnished with jazz and served on the rocks of catchy choruses and tap-your-fingers basslines, Of A Revolution (O.A.R.) simply leaves out the filler and makes good music.

And this realease, in keeping with the tradition of a band that made its first album in high school, showcases what happens when loads of raw talent gets molded. They are starting to take shape.

Sure, O.A.R. purists might think the slick production on In Between Now and Then negates the band's incredibly charming (mainly because they sound like they were recorded in a moving car) first two albums. And they might wonder about certain non-battle-tested songs that didn't show up on O.A.R.'s first studio release, Risen.

However, for a band that has shown the promise of breaking through the meathead pop metal that dominates the charts today, IBNT can only be seen as a bold move in the right direction.

O.A.R. and producer John Alagia mix it up with a number of safe feel good jams like "Risen", "Road Outside Columbus" and "Old Man Time". However, songs like "Dareh Meyod", "Right on Time" and "Whose Chariot" show that O.A.R. is not content with making just college party music.

In all, IBNT shows a band that embraces its innocent, teenaged songwriting past but is still challenging itself to be as good as the hype surrounding them.

Of course, while members of O.A.R. are establishing themselves as an act to look out for, they trip slightly along the way. Singer Marc Roberge sometimes relies too heavily on echoed vocals; a shame because Roberge's gravelly working-class voice is the perfect instrument to establish O.A.R.'s identity.

And Roberge's lyrics can seem lazy or distracted as he relies on rhyming Day and Way and Day an incredible number of times. However, Roberge offsets the grammar-school poetry with some classic lines such as "It's easy for a man to stand tall, much harder for a man to simmer down" from "Right on Time".
But how can you really capture the essence of a 13-song album? Well, here is a track-by-track rundown:

Dareh Meyod - A new adventure for O.A.R. Benj Gershman's bass bounces like a superball and combines with Roberge's voice to create a fun yet brooding opening track.

Risen - Damn, this is a fun song. Sure, it seems a little light to have Roberge pleading for everyone to "take some time to smile." However, momentary human bliss has been a running theme for O.A.R. and Roberge since the band's inception. Whoever coined the phrase "pop-rock nugget" had to have this song in mind.

As catchy as bubble gum on a sidewalk while still maintaining the band's integrity, this would have made the perfect first single. It is a tragedy that this song sits uncovered by radio stations while the less charming "Hey Girl" has already been received and discarded by stations around the country.

Right on Time - The best pure song on the album. An amazing combination of catchy hook, wildy entertaining riff and intriguing lyrics. It would make perfect second single to show that O.A.R. has a pretty big set of balls on them.

Mr.Moon - Alright, let's slow it down a bit here. Take a look at the moon and wonder why it won't talk to us. Roberge plays around with metaphor and you can't really blame him. No matter; this song, while a little bland, still keeps you listening and tapping your feet with a certain amount of gusto.

Revisited - What is this revisiting? Well, the last song on O.A.R.'s first album is a nine-minute epic called "Ladanday," about a mythical man named Peter and his mountain dwellings. Well, Peter is back in this song that keeps in step with the suddenly changing O.A.R. favorite "Delicate Few." The song goes from bellowing to wonderously hoppy in one chord. Not the best song on IBNT, but worth a listen, especially if you liked "Ladanday."

Hey Girl - The one mistake on the album is this first single that has been released on three (!) different albums. Not a cardinal sin, mind you. The Dave Matthews Band released "Ants Marching" and a slew of other tunes twice.

But if you are going to release a song three times, you had better make damn sure that each version is better than the last and offers a new interpretation. "Hey Girl" peaked with its inclusion on the band's 2002 live album "Any Time Now." And even with a new third verse, this ranks far below all other versions of the song. I mean, I just don't get putting this on as the first single when four other songs are better written and less annoying. This wasn't even one of the best songs on previous releases and it certainly is not memorable enough for four albums.

James - Mr. Roberge, take a bow. We learn from the accompanying DVD that this song is about the death of a friend's father. And indeed, some of the lyrics are insightful and inspiring. Roberge murmurs, "I've heard about heaven for years/Can't be sure where you are/Wander on blessed James/I'm fine with you here."

Just the kind of song that makes you want this band to succeed.

Good stuff.

Coalminer - Your basic twangy country/rock hybrid. Easy to sing along to, hard to pry out of your brain. But what is with all this talk about Daddy? It gets a little creepy with Roberge moaning "Too bad for Daddy" over and over again. A little unsettling.

Old Man Time - The Chorus is right out of Doby Gray's "Drift Away" but I dare you to stop singing it after three listens. It is fucking impossible. It haunts me at night and I really kind of like it.

Anyway - An original song. I've never really heard anything like it. "Anyway" has been a live staple since it was a centerpiece on Any Time Now.

Saxophone player Jerry Depizzo shines here, steering this song's poppy melody.

Side note: DePizzo joined the band after their second album and now, after their fifth, it's hard to imagine that O.A.R. would be anywhere near as good without him. His saxophone creates a different level of music. He plays a huge part in making this more than just a college jam band. And it's not like he's ripping off LeRoi Moore from the Dave Matthews band. He has woven a distinct style that meshes with the musical style that was in place before he got there. He didn't change it, he just amplified it.
From interviews and such, you get the feeling that the rest of the band knows that. DePizzo is probably the most talented guy in O.A.R. and he is almost like a silent ringleader on the second tier of the band hierarchy. They might not be making music right now if it weren't for him.

Sorry, I'm rambling.

Road Outside Columbus - A tribute to the band's days at Ohio State University. Good songwriting by Roberge makes this a spine tingler for anyone who went away to college. I admit, the first time I read the lyrics, and thought back to my college days, well, something just got caught in my eye.

Any Time Now - While any other band would pass this Reggae song off as sheer filler, O.A.R. wants you to believe that this is a part of their sound.

And I believe it.

Of course this is nothing new for them. High School trips to Israel did wonders in shaping the sound of this band, and it shows here. Really, this isn't the best reggae song they've done. They've had more success in high school with the songs "Get Away" and "Missing Pieces".

It's odd, for as many bands that try and fail at putting a reggae vibe on albums, that this combination of three Jews, an Asian and an Italian pull it off seamlessly. Weird. I guess O.A.R. busts stereotypes, too. How political.

Whose Chariot - The band put this song on IBNT as a tribute to fans. Apparently it is about their struggle in choosing a record company (a task they weighed over for at least two years before going with Lava). Good symbolism, good energy and a great song to end an album on.