Replace Neil Young's restless energy with clinical bipolar disorder and a see-saw approach to experimentation and you have an idea of who Devin Townsend is. Ocean Machine represents the two threads of his creative drive before they split apart and demanded segregation in separate works: spaced-out ambiance and a more unassuming and deceptively earworm-y blend of progressive/alternative metal than is usually seen. Billy Joel's reaction to hearing Cold Spring Harbor's faulty original pressing was to throw it into the street -- Devin's was to re-record the whole damn album.
C+
Supergroups are the McDonalds of music. They're seemingly always around and most of the time they just fuck up your order and put you in a bad mood, but once in a while they get it right and it just hits the spot -- and Our Oceans really hits the spot. Polished and striking like a fine watch, with an inner mechanism that hints at master craftsmanship, the level of competency on display here is impressive for a bunch of ex-death/progressive/avant-garde metal stiffs. Points deducted for that college freshman level album art, though.
B
This thorough anthology contains the majority of the output of the true prince-in-exile to Ozzy's throne, Scott Wino, working with perhaps his most wholly successful and consistent band ever. While the second disc is more of a patchwork of semi-filler material, the first is pure stoner/doom magic -- the Caravan proceed from one concise head-banger to the next, with as high a ratio of quality material as Trouble circa '91-'92. Look elsewhere for the Dreamwheel EP, if you must (it's not good).
B-
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