It's Easier to be Someone Else is that rare second CD that is as good as a band's first...and in this case, maybe even better. It's also a clear evolution from Hey Ocean!'s first record. Where Stop Sounding Like Music! is softer and more pop-influenced, It's Easier to be Someone Else is edgier and feels more emotional. Full of offbeat love songs with simple but heartfelt lyrics, tracks like "Fifteen Words" would strike a chord with most anyone. My personal favourite is "Vagabond" a hip-hop track that features London, Ontario born rapper Shad, or Shadrach Kabango, who is in my opinion one of the most talented artists in the Canadian hip hop scene.
Hey Ocean! is one of those bands that's hard to define. Sometimes, with Ashleigh Ball's and David Beckingham's earnest vocals, they sound like a folk band. Other times their upbeat percussion and saxophone can sound ska-influenced. It's no surprise that their Myspace lists a varied and eclectic mix - with anything from Sublime, to Jurassic Five, and Simon and Garfunkel - as their musical influences.
Definitions and labels aside, Hey Ocean! is a great band, and unlike a lot of popular independent Canadian bands, they are accessible to almost everyone. I would go out and grab a copy of It's Easier to be Someone Else, or even better catch one of their shows featuring Shad, as the band is hitting almost every Canadian city in their current cross country tour. Trust me, Hey Ocean! is not to be missed.
-Katie Boland
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