Concert Review: Ocean Alley Is Godzilla At Mercury Lounge

It is a strange thing to go to a concert and say, “These guys make me feel like Godzilla.” Confirming that Australia is pretty much providing us with the new kings of psych rock, Ocean Alley had the whole, Mercury Lounge crowd bashing around as if they were a bunch of Godzillas heading for Tokyo. Yet, their music played to being powerful and having NO IDEA what to do with that fact.



I truly believe depression can be sparked by realizing you are powerful and having no idea how to manifest such power. “Knees”, “Confidence”, “The Comedown”, and “Lemonworld” were like blazing fireballs of melodic glory that played to feeling completely unmotivated. Just imagine it! The sound of Led Zepplin’s Kashmir but the lyrics of confusion and a neediness for love that you would find on a pop album. The truth is that these Aussies sound like literal fire, but have the catchiest hooks on watching your love and life go up in smoke.

Led by vocalist Baden, Ocean Alley’s sound leaves you torn between Baden’s sweet vocals and their scouring instrumentals. Again, I kept on thinking of Godzilla as I watched the crowd thrash to their music. On one end, Godzilla can be seen as the villain; tearing up a city of families with no aim. Yet, on another, he can simply be seen as a being; having no idea that he is destruction because he has no idea he is powerful over others. Sometimes, that is how relationships are; we either rise or sink our lovers depending on how we see our power over them.

I have to say Ocean Alley’s concert is an experience. While they can give a groovy guitar suite, they are the concert you see when you want to feel like you are the most powerful, fearful creature to enter the city, which, in other times, you might actually feel. Yet, Ocean Alley;s rock n’ roll turns that fear creature into a maniacally good chord. For More Information On Ocean Alley Click Here.