ALBUM REVIEW: Oscar Lang’s ‘CHEW THE SCENERY’ Is A Riveting Debut
ALBUM REVIEW: Oscar Lang’s ‘CHEW THE SCENERY’ Is A Riveting Debut
The British rocker firmly plants his flag with his first full-length release.
Words By: Garrett Kearns
Oscar Lang has finally unveiled his long awaited debut album Chew the Scenery — an expansive canvas of modern and classic. Lang keeps us on our toes, guessing what style will grace the next song. In the brief span of thirteen songs Lang has managed to take seemingly every influence in his repertoire and turn it into great music. There’s everything from psychedelic rock to piano ballads.
The album opener “Our Feature Presentation” is an ingenious introduction. The ambient noise of an audience and the voice over of the announcer gives Chew the Scenery a cinematic quality. The countdown transitions directly into the Lang’s previously released single, “21st Century Hobby.” Within the track, Lang combines social commentary with searing leads and classic pop structure. “Could Swear” is a bouncy feel-good track in the style of Oasis. It has a classic Brit-pop vibe that’s fit for radio. “Stuck” rocks harder than the previous songs, but it maintains the pattern of catchy melodies. The fuzzed out bass and loud guitars make this one worth cranking the volume.
“Yeah!” was the final teaser before the official drop of Chew the Scenery. The intro is a synth line out of an 80s video game. It then goes into a funky beat with guitars floating on top. The song is ultimately about a romantic interest that’s vapid and shallow. “All she says is yeah/When she’s pretending to care/But she’s not really there.” The crashing drums and powerful bass drive the hook of the song with the keyboards adding flourishes. All the while the intro line repeats itself underneath the other instruments. It might be buried in the mix, but it can still be felt in the back of our ears. Where “Yeah” is cynical, “Headphones” is joyous. Lang celebrates the experience of taking a walk to his favorite tunes in an unapologetically upbeat number. “Write Me a Letter” is the most surprising song on the album. The track is Lang singing quietly against the stark background of a lone piano. Most of the songs on this release are Lang looking outward on the world and telling us what he thinks of it. “Write Me a Letter” is the opposite. He lets us into his innermost thoughts, not hiding behind a wall of guitars. Lang takes off the sunglasses and allows himself to be vulnerable.
The title of “Intermission” speaks for itself. It’s a fun callback to the intro. A modulated voice tells us that the album will resume in a moment. “Are You Happy” is simple but a nice dose of positivity. In essence Lang challenges us to break out of our shells and take some chances. “Quarter Past Nine” is a break-up song that incorporates spacey acoustic guitars. The theme of romantic complication continues in “Take Time Out,” which borrows heavily from Arctic Monkeys. The upbeat tempo contrasts with the frustration apparent in the lyrics. Oscar sits back down at his piano for “Final Call,” a grand ballad completes with strings. His performance is reserved but this helps build tension until the finale. The core of the track is acoustic guitar and piano. The additional instruments are subtly placed in the background for maximum effect. The last song of the album “Thank You” is a left turn from the previous track. We circle back to the relationship arc, where Lang has now bumped into his ex-girlfriend after breaking up with her. He reflects on how their relationship changed him for the better and what he learned about himself in the process. It’s a nice note of positivity to wrap up the album. If we’re to think of this as a movie, the screen would fade to black, and the credits would roll. The lights would come up and everyone would head for the exits, pleased with their choice of showcase.
