Inspired by a moment of clarity as frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy stared out at the sea, if there’s one word to sum up The Wombats’ sixth studio album, it’s self-awareness. Diving deep into anxieties, avoidance, and the struggle in finding balance between isolation and connection, ‘Oh! The Ocean’ confronts the consequences of living inside your own mind.
Riding a wave of introspection and contemplation, here the band’s bright, breezy melodies make way for heavier existential musings, introduced as Murph confronts his anti-social tendencies on opener Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want To Come.
I Love America and She Hates Me and Swerve (101) offer up a darker, more brooding side to the group but the frontman’s signature self-critical lyricism in fine form, while the punchy, playful energy that has long defined their music is still here in abundance.
Up-tempo singles Can’t Say No and Blood On The Hospital Floor flirt with nostalgia while wrestling with the disorientation of modern life, while My Head Is Not My Friend serves as a powerful anthem of inner turmoil, moving from dreamy alt-rock tones to a full-band explosion primed for festival stages.
There’s something delightfully non-urgent about ‘Oh! The Ocean’. Reminding us to take in the joy of the smallest moments, and to be present throughout the brightest and darkest of times, as reflective closer Lobster fades into silence there’s a feeling of calm. A deep exhale in a world that seems to be turning faster each day, it may not be the album many expected from The Wombats but it’s likely the one they need.
The Wombats Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue March 18 2025 - NOTTINGHAM Motorpoint Arena
Wed March 19 2025 - LONDON O2 Arena
Fri March 21 2025 - CARDIFF Utilita Arena
Sat March 22 2025 - MANCHESTER AO Arena
Sun March 23 2025 - HULL Connexin Live
Tue March 25 2025 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Wed March 26 2025 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Thu May 29 2025 - STOKE Trentham Estate
Thu June 19 2025 - LIVERPOOL Pier Head
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