All The Way Home was recorded and produced by bandmates Michael Simone and Alex Cox in a house off of the bay of the North Fork of Long Island and in an art loft in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The North Carolina natives focused on using analog gear to create an organic space to capture the moments dictated by this collection of songs.
Joining the band for this journey includes Caitlin Cary (Whiskeytown) on backing vocals and violin, Jon Graboff (Ryan Adams, Shooter Jennings) on pedal steel, with Peele Wimberley (The Connells) and Jeff Gensterblum (Small Brown Bike) on drums. Layered with the lead vocals and guitars of Michael Simone, the melodic bass guitar of Alex Cox and the 70’s era-Clapton influenced stylings of UK import Chris Buckle on lead guitar and backing vocals, the body of Ocean Carolina was complete.
Merging the classic Outlaw country sound of Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, a touch of folk from Neil Young, and a love of bands the likes of The Cure, Oasis and Pink Floyd, Simone crafted the ten songs that would become All The Way Home.
Ocean Carolina made their debut in the Spring of 2011 with the 5 song EP, Leave On. Lead Vocalist and Songwriter, Michael Simone, moved from coastal North Carolina to Brooklyn and found himself writing songs that were reminiscent of the AM radio that became synonymous with trips to the barber shop he took as a child. Small glass bottles of Coca-Cola, the Grand Ole Opry, and Classic Country manifested themselves in the band’s creation and helped Ocean Carolina to establish its identity in clubs across New York City.
My Old Kentucky Blog raves,“Five songs of airtight songwriting, tasteful arrangements and a vibe that approximates Harvest Moon-period Neil Young or the Marks (Eitzel and Kozalek), without getting bogged down in their obsessions and idiosyncrasies. These guys are good. Real good.”
“Gone to Ocean Carolina in my mind. – Now, here is a very nice, very catchy, smooth sailing EP. The band operates in a continuum of Ryan Adams, Grant Lee Buffalo, Tequila Sunrise-era Eagles, Mazzy Star if the singer was a boy and not a girl, bright beautiful sunny mornings and quiet, colorful sunsets in the mountains. Lots of lush steel guitar and warm strummy tones …No lie, this is sweet sweet stuff.” – Bruce Warren / WXPN
“Leave On” expertly recalls one of those classic country/rock laments of the 70s, where a dirgelike pace and the dual lonesome wails of pedal steel and harmonica recall Neil Young and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Led by North Carolina-raised songwriter Michael Simone – is full of the roadhouse slowdance fare found in the title track… We’re looking forward to a full-length album…” – Direct Current