[rating=2.50]
The newest release from Richard Swift is The Atlantic Ocean; delivering strings, odd poppy stabs of synthesizer and varying whacky lyrics. The constantly plunking western saloon style piano is omnipresent to a point that teeters on annoyance. Other bizarre instruments drop in for a visit and make themselves all-too at home, like the xylophone/syncopated hand clap/violin/electric guitar combo on “The First Time.” There is a scattered Beatles White Album feel, with “A Song For Milton Feher” resembling “Martha, My Dear” – perhaps a bit too closely.
Two of the final three tracks succeed in shoring up an iffy overall effort with the straight saxophone filled ballad, “End Of An Age” and soulful “Lady Luck,” which nearly bring smiles to ears. “Lady Luck” aspires to Prince but falls more in the gulf stream of Beck, with well produced falsetto singing and some groovy low end, leaving it as Swift’s most sea worthy vessel on The Atlantic Ocean.
