Fourth studio album from San Francisco's Red House Painters. Ocean Beach was originally recorded in 1994 and was the band's final album for 4AD. It's packaged here with their 1994 Shock Me EP. Both releases mark a shift in direction for the band away from the lengthy, droning epics of their earlier releases towards a more pastoral, folk influenced style. Shock Me is bookended by two cover versions of the Kiss song of the same name. The two acoustic pieces that accompany the cover are the first evidence of the band's stylistic shift. Ocean Beach is the sound of Mark Kozelek breaking out of his shell. There are more melodies and the arrangements are more focused, and Kozelek has removed the reverb that surrounded his voice on previous releases. Includes the songs: "Cabezon," "Summer Dress," "San Geronimo," and the cover of Yes's "Long Distance Runaround" which was previously only available on the long out of print double 10" version of Ocean Beach. Fourteen tracks in all. Released by 4AD on double vinyl.

• first time available after twenty years out of print
• music label: 4AD 1995 / 2015

reviewed by ninetwofour 08/2015