2000 Great Songs #1468: Ocean
In some ways, Sebadoh were the ultimate 90s band for me--an act whose music was hugely important to me at the time, but with whom I've spent a lot less time in the years since (though every time I do I'm reminded why I loved them). And "Ocean," off 1996's Harmacy --probably the last LP of theirs I paid much attention to--felt like the logical conclusion of their prior half-decade of output. The band gradually but steadily evolved from Lou Barlow's no-fi bedroom home recordings through scrappy but raw indie rock, but by this point had enough polish that it should've given them a bit more mainstream alt.rock standing. "Ocean" certainly feels radio-friendly, chiming and catchy and well-produced, probably the band's most straightforward pop song, yet without coming across as overtly commercial. And, yeah, today it feels much more of its age than some of the offerings of their peers who've remained a larger part of my current life; but that d...
