Ships Have Sailed deliver a tender, golden ode to fresh starts on “Edge of an Ocean,” capturing the energy, innocence, warmth, and wonder of standing at the precipice of adventure.
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Stream: “Edge of an Ocean” – Ships Have Sailed
At the edge of an ocean, let’s fly to the edge of an ocean…
It feels only fitting that a band named Ships Have Sailed would eventually begin employing some seafarers’ puns in their songs, although I’m almost certain they had none of that in mind this time around. Still, as a lover of music and wordplay alike, I enjoyed a light laugh at the notion of Ships Have Sailed flying to the “Edge of an Ocean.”
The song itself is much more heartwarming than it is laugh-out-loud, and it’s without a doubt sure to get audiences smiling from ear to ear. We all know what it’s like to be on the brink of monumentous change; to stand on the precipice of a new chapter, of a new adventure, and to feel deep in our hearts that we’re ready: That whatever happens, we’re prepared for the challenges to come – all the highs and lows, twists and turns ahead. “Edge of an Ocean” captures the energy, innocence, warmth, and wonder of starting something new. For songwriter Will Carpenter, it’s a declaration of love for his then-unborn child, but for listeners, it can be anything you want or need it to be: Ships Have Sailed have crafted a tender ode to fresh starts, embracing that pivotal point along with all the hopes and dreams that come with it.
Every little bird’s gotta learn to fly.
Are you feelin’ scared, alone in the sky?
Can you wait for me at the edge of the night?
And we can be together takin’ flight, yeah
At the edge of an ocean, let’s fly to the edge of an ocean
At the edge of an ocean, meet me at the edge of an ocean
…and we can be together takin’ flight
This is what new beginnings should feel like on the inside.
Independently released July 18, “Edge of an Ocean” is as beautiful and sweet as it is utterly inspiring. The latest single from Los Angeles’ Ships Have Sailed finds vocalist/guitarist Will Carpenter and drummer Art Andranikyan continuing to hone that “conscientious indie rock” identity we’ve consistently praised them for: Music that has depth, purpose, and substance.
As we once wrote (over five years ago), “Ships Have Sailed implore us to live – to love every second of our world, to grab life by the horns and make every single day count!” And here they are, continuing to light a fire deep within.
It’s a dusky road and we crave the light
Gotta define what’s wrong and what’s right
It’s a truth we know like a pulse inside
Keep your eyes wide open as you walk the line yea
At the edge of an ocean, seekin’ truth on the edge of an ocean
At the edge of an ocean, meet me at the edge of an ocean
…keep your eyes wide open as you walk the line…
Arriving on the heels of Ships Have Sailed’s May single “Silence” and their live album Live from Ojai, “Edge of an Ocean” is a gentle, golden-hued reverie: An invitation to join hands and walk together into the unknown.
“This song began as a premonition: A love letter to my unborn daughter,” Will Carpenter tells Atwood Magazine. “As I write this, she is just three weeks old. It’s a big, beautiful, scary world, and I want her to experience the best of it without having to know the worst – but I also know that is impossible. In order to appreciate happiness, we must know sadness. In order to love deeply, we will always have to experience profound loss. In order to cherish the time, we have here, and the moments we have with our loved ones, we must recognize it is all temporary. Somehow all those hopes, wishes and dreams, anchored by our bittersweet reality, wove themselves into this song, which presents as a bit unassuming, but may reveal a surprising amount of depth.”
Waves and reflections, the depths feel so endless
but, feels like peace on the shore.
We could be oceans apart,
but here by the water I feel you,
like you’re still with me.
At the edge of an ocean,
time travel at the edge of an ocean
At the edge of an ocean,
meet me at the edge of an ocean
There’s no feeling quite like that of new beginnings. We can’t predict the future and we’ll never know all that’s to come, but the sense of oncoming adventure is as intoxicating as it is exhilarating. “Edge of an Ocean” embodies this little, yet all-consuming life thrill: The knowledge that change is afoot, and the sense – in your heart of hearts – that you’re ready to leap forward and dive right in.
Whether kids are on the horizon or another big milestone is coming into view, let Ships Have Sailed be the soundtrack to the next part of your life’s journey. The band’s 2022 sophomore album Ages remains a radiant and resounding listening experience in its own right, as do their recent live album – and especially their newest singles. Soft, stirring, and undeniably uplifting, “Edge of an Ocean” is without a doubt the beginning of something special for Will Carpenter and Ships Have Sailed – both in his personal life, and (we hope) in the band’s world as well.
Every bird’s gonna have to say goodbye.
There’s nothin’ on earth you won’t leave behind.
Can you visit me in your dreams tonight?
And I’ll tell you stories ‘til the sky gets light yea…
At the edge of an ocean, sun settin’ at the edge of an ocean
At the edge of an ocean, meet me at the edge of an ocean
…and I can wait with you ‘til the sky gets light…
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Stream: “Edge of an Ocean” – Ships Have Sailed
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