Artist: Octoberman

Album Title: Run From Safety

Record Label: White Whale Records

Publicist: Killbeat Music

Released: August 28^th 2007

Band Website: www.octoberman.ca 

3 Stars 

Reviewed By: Christopher Williams 

Octoberman reminds me of the film Sweet November with Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves where she has a man, er…I mean relationship, per month; apparently ‘October Man’ preceded ‘November Man.’  

What struck me about this second album of Octoberman was the stunning orchestra style mellow-rock sound of their songs on Run From Safety. This group isn’t afraid of making arrangements sound bold, and full of depth and something akin to a film score. I did give Run From Safety three stars though and where the band deftly fell short was the vocals. Not just the quality of vocals, but not matching in depth or eloquence the heart of music Octoberman seemed to capture in their arrangements. A sad blow, as this quasi-rock-meets-classic combination in the sound is rich and unique and full of texture.  

The only time I felt the vocals/lyrics captured a similar essence to the orchestration was in the final track ‘Chasing Ambulances,’ which is a surreal laid-back journey in song. 

It seems that Octoberman has really found a sound that is original, but perhaps for the next album they could work towards a similar individualism in their vocals and lyrics.    

By The Wayside

Once In A Blue

Run From Safety

Elbow Room

Breath Of Sunshine

Cisco Kid

Impossible Way

Shit Just Falls Apart

No Qualms

Chasing Ambulances