I first took notice of Shearwater when Jonathan Meiburg’s golden voice appeared on Okkervil River’s “Lost Coastlines.” The track was Meiburg’s last hurrah as a member of the band before focusing entirely on Shearwater. From my experience, Shearwater has also been one small step away from something truly remarkable. Jet Plane and Oxbow takes about half the step needed. As usual, the highlight is Meiberg’s phenomenal vocals and richly detailed lyrical content. The dense, baroque compositions common to Shearwater records remains while further complemented by atmospheric synths that recall Talk Talk’s classic post-rock.
By: Jonnyleather