The Wombats are back with a new album, “Oh! The Ocean.” The indie rock trio doubles down unapologetically with pricking hooks, razor-sharp wit, and a generous helping of existential dread.
From the first track, “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come,” it’s evident that The Wombats are still adept at creating sprawling feel-good anthems underpinned by buoyant melancholy. A glimmering, woozy summer song named for Jessica Pan’s book, the track sets the stage for a record that toggles between self-deprecating humor and gut-punching truth.
Some tracks, like “Gut-Punch” and “Reality is a Wild Ride,” stay within The Wombats’ tried-and-true formula, while others stretch into fresh territory. “The World’s Not Out to Get Me, I Am” features an electrifying guitar breakdown, and “Swerve (101)” imbues a menacing stomp that feels almost out of character for the band.
One of the album’s most indelible standouts is “Grim Reaper,” a deceptively upbeat toe-tapper that contrasts its danceable melodic lilt with bleak musings on mortality. In the meantime, “My Head is Not My Friend” could be the album’s masterpiece. It is an achingly gorgeous song that is all The Wombats at their most fragile. The album closer, “Lobster,” finds Murphy finally experiencing a moment of calm, jealous of the crustacean’s ability to live and grow without light. It’s an ethereal, meditative conclusion to an album that perfectly balances gloom and enough sunlight to keep the waves from fully crashing down.
With “Oh! The Ocean,” The Wombats remind us why they’ve been one of indie rock’s most durable bands. It’s a record that refines them, reminding us why their heady mix of self-awareness, humor, and certified melody calmed us.
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