Echo & the Bunnymen Ocean Rain LP

One of the most acclaimed British rockers from the 1980s, this legendary band formed in Liverpool in 1978 and were forefathers of the neo-psychedelic movement. Their lineup consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant, bass player Les Pattinson and drummer Pete de Freitas, eventually replacing the original drum machine.

The band's cult status eventually waned with mainstream success in 1983 after they scored a UK top 10 hit with "The Cutter" and attendant album Porcupine, which hit #2 in the UK. 1984's album Ocean Rain is considered a landmark post-punk release, featuring the lead single "Killing Moon."

The band split in 1988 but regrouped in 1997, releasing an album in 2014 that was their first UK Top 40 entry since 1999. The band's popularity never quite made the same impact in the US as it did in Europe so they are ripe for rediscovery for anyone interested in bands such as Suede, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Blur, Interpol and Oasis.

Released in 1984, Ocean Rain was the band's fourth studio album and features the hit singles "The Killing Moon," "Silver" and "Seven Seas." The album peaked at #4 on the UK Albums Chart.

...Ocean Rain emerges as Echo & the Bunnymen's most beautiful and memorable effort. Ornamenting Ian McCulloch's most consistently strong collection of songs to date with subdued guitar textures, sweeping string arrangements, and hauntingly evocative production, the album is dramatic and majestic; 'The Killing Moon,' Ocean Rain's emotional centerpiece, remains the group's unrivaled pinnacle.