Ocean Park Standoff in Concert
Pop music never goes out of style — especially the eclectic indie that tends to emerge from California. As the name implies, the Los Angeles-based trio Ocean Park Standoff favors breezy tunes, with hints of R&B and hip-hop. Like sonic peers Two Feet, Bastille, and Glass Animals, the band matches their heady grooves with irresistible hooks and earnest vocals. The effervescent single "Lost Boys" boasts a surging chorus that praises the benefits of living in the moment, resembling a cross between pop powerhouses Jack Antonoff and Ryan Tedder.
Ocean Park Standoff's well-crafted music makes sense when you consider their impeccable pedigree. The trio features Samantha Ronson — a celebrated DJ and multi-instrumentalist who just so happens to be musician/producer Mark Ronson's sister — and two Berklee College of Music-educated musicians: drummer Pete Nappi and vocalist Ethan Thompson. Nappi and Ronson originally collaborated after linking up at a 2014 songwriting session, and later added Thompson.
The trio hunkered down at Ronson's home studio and soon produced 2016's sun-kissed "Good News" (which landed in the Top 15 of both Billboard's Adult Top 40 and Hot Rock Songs charts) and "Photos & Liquor," a darker song with trip-hop beats and bittersweet lyrics. These songs ended up on 2017's 'Ocean Park Standoff' EP, which eventually led to tour dates with AJR and Plain White T's. Live, Thompson's energetic stage presence and passionate singing carry the performance, amplifying the heart and soul of the band's music.
In 2018, Ocean Park Standoff took a creative leap forward and released a new single, "If You Were Mine," driven by crisp acoustic guitars and choruses drenched in a cool rush of synthesizers. Another take on the song featuring Lil' Yachty adds extra drama. More electro-pop-leaning than any previous work, the remix signals a new direction that suits Ocean Park Standoff well, and provides fresh new material to explore on tour with Kodaline.