British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music?
This album has been so enthusiastically and so publically fellated by everyone who has set their sweaty little mitts to a keyboard in the last month or so I feel slightly soiled even writing about it. In terms of thematic content, furious live shows and anthemicism these lads probably have more in common with Toad favourites iLiKETRAiNS than anyone else I would compare them to at the moment. The obsession with British identity and recent history is very similar, but British Sea Power are a much more melodic group, which has is probably why they have been so fawningly embraced by the mainstream.
After the genius of their gorgeous slow burner Open Season and the ungodly clatter of debut The Decline of British Sea Power I am at a little bit of a loss as to quite what is so much better about this album that seems to have everyone so excited. I actually found it harder to get into, and I already knew half the songs from live shows. It has the same big choruses as earlier releases and the same chiming, dare I say it stadium-friendly guitar climaxes.
Unfortunately, while most people love the middle ground this seems to have struck between their two previous albums, personally what I hear are songs just a little short on the fury of the first or the brooding menace of the second. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a terrific record, but I would be mildly surprised to find it on my end of year list for 2008. Mind you, if you want a fucking good rock ‘n’ roll album to stick on, turn up offensively loud, and dance around to drunk as a skunk then you couldn’t do much better.
So a slightly qualified thumbs up from myself I suppose. But I’ve been slow to ease my way into British Sea Power albums in the past, and they’ve made me eat my words, so keep an eye on those above and see if I’m not served them alongside a nice, generous slice of humble pie come the end of the year.
British Sea Power – A Trip Out
British Sea Power – Down on the Ground
As I’m off to see them this Saturday, I’ve been listening to this an awful lot this past few days. I give it a wholly unconditional 5 Stars….
The thing about rock-crits in January is that they inevitably go ape-shit for the first thing to come out after all the shite we hear year-upon-year every Decemeber (as well as them all having to do their round-ups of the previous 12 months). I remember a couple of years ago that the deradfully dull Athlete were being fawned over.
If you want further proof, look at how much coverage Sons & Daughters are getting in the meeja. Now…there’s a band whose first two albums blew me away, but the tasters for the new work have left me a tad cold.
back to British Sea Power – the new LP is far more ‘consistent’ than the previous two albums – there’s probably 5 or 6 potential singles on it. That must mean it’s a bit more radio-friendly and accessible. Doesn’t mean they’ll crack it though.
Don’t put it back on the shelf just yet my amigo….
I dig what you are saying. It’s left me somewhat exhausted for explanation of t’other interweb blogger’s frenzied high praise for this.
At this moment in time I am entirely underwhelmed by it & find myself returning to the side project Brakes for the adrenalin jump leads.
Let’s see, then, what occurs in the coming months to see if this opinion eats its own tail.
DC
How about that for two eminently sensible comments from two well-respected colleagues.
I think you’re both right. There is a lot to love about this album, but I still can’t quite claim to understand the hysteria. Had it been less fervent I would probably be singing the same hymn myself.
As it is, this is just another really excellent album by a generally excellent band who produce some of the best live performances in the country.
The second coming, on the other hand, it is not.
I am quite surprised that you felt Open Season was a better disc than Decline… I was SO disappointed with Open Season, especially after the vitriol and energy of Decline. It’s the same frenetic energy that I feel with the first half of Rock Music. (Admittedly, I’m left a bit wanting by the second half). I’m hoping their live show is as good as everyone says it is. Do you know how they perform in smaller clubs? The show in Columbus, OH is at a venue that holds maybe 200 people. I think it will be interesting to see how the huge tracks from Rock Music (Waving Flags, anyone?) will feel in such an intimate setting.
I’ve seen them in a massive festival tent and a tiny venue here in Edinburgh and they absolutely shook the place both times. I guess with such energetic bands there’s always a chance they might just not quite get things going on any one night, but I think the small venue will be excellent.
I loved Decline, although I’ll admit it is a little uneven in places. I use terms like ungodly clatter as a compliment. And I agree entirely that this tails off a little, but I’d put that about two thirds of the way through. The rest is superb.