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After almost three years since electrifying the nation with their iconic cover of Player’s ‘Baby Come Back’, Northern beaches six-piece Ocean Alley have returned to the triple j studios for a special mashup of some of Pink Floyd’s greatest hits. However, this time things are slightly different for the boys, returning as Hot 100 winners and Qudos Bank Arena juggernauts that have done just about all there is to do in the country. But more importantly, their return sees them be just as captivating, badass and down to Earth as they were all those years ago, proving that all the accolades and stages in the world can’t dampen the Aussie salt of the earth that emanates so radiantly from the best mates.
Beginning with the sombre ‘Breathe,’ the boys start off super mellow with stripped back instrumentation and musical layers that let you know you’re in for a totally different LAV this time around. Lead singer Baden Donegal also whips out a 12 string acoustic as well which is just bloody sick, harmonising with keys player Lach in what’s an almost haunting duet of sorts. The resulting hook sees them totally revel in the smokiness of the 1973 hit, getting down and dirty as the swirling layers engulf you like a wave of grit.
While doing so however, they seamlessly set the stage for ‘Comfortably Numb,’ introducing the iconic chorus that entrances you so hard you’re oblivious to the fact that it’s a different song. However, that swaying, sense of serenity doesn’t last too long, the boys ultimately bringing to the guitars to the forefront as transition into the bouncy ‘Money’. It’s here you see them totally let loose, embracing the iconic hit as they engage in all of the hallmarks of the psychedelic genre and that of the Ocean Alley sound. With killer guitar and bass solos, funky keys and punchy vocals that enthral you into nirvana, the boys craft a melting pot of nostalgia and summer, with some badass seasoning to tie it all together.
Once again, the boys manage to pay tribute to the GOATs while incorporating their own flare into the Like A Version. While doing so, they also giving us a sneak peak into what those early jam sessions in that Northern Beaches shed would’ve looked like, as they no doubt would’ve been filled to the brim with covers of Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Hendrix and other 70s icons. Check it out below.