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posted Friday, February 29, 2008 - Volume 36 Issue 09 |
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| British Sea Power mixes imagery, energy |
by Jessica Price -
SGN A&E Writer
BRITISH SEA POWER
W/ COLOURMUSIC,
KAY KAY & HIS WEATHERED
UNDERGROUND
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 8 PM
NEUMOS
$12
Not only does British Sea Power possess one of the best names around, they're also the most literate band you'll hear this year. On their first official US tour near the end of 2002, I went by the now-defunct Crocodile to check them out based solely on the strength of their name. What I found was a thoughtfully planned yet very instinctive live experience, complete with foliage, netting, and antiquated military garb. I'd never seen anything like it. On Tuesday night, Neumos brings this amazing quartet back on the heels of their third release, Do You Like Rock Music?
As for the literary references, one thing I noticed right away about British Sea Power was that they obviously have a penchant for history and literature. Incorporating a range of obscure references in their songs, everything from Charles Lindbergh ("The Spirit of St. Louis") to Shakespeare ("Something Wicked") is fair game for a mention. Who else can wow an audience of jaded listeners with a line like "I wrote elegiac stanzas for you"? How about while doing a headstand? If this sounds like a fascinating mixture of energy and imagery, that's because it is. But mostly they're just a very rare and amazing rock and roll band.
British Sea Power has been compared to the likes of Echo and the Bunnymen (those organic sets), The Pixies, and Joy Division, yet they don't exactly resemble any of those artists. Their records are incredibly passionate and well thought-out - beautiful, urgent, and sometimes just nonsensical and loud. It's apparent that members Yan (Scott Wilkinson, vocals/guitar), Noble (Martin Noble, guitar), Hamilton (Neil Wilkinson, bass/vocals/guitar), and Wood (Matthew Wood, drums) consider what they're creating, yet don't take themselves as seriously as it seems. Brand new-release Do You Like Rock Music? has already generated an incredible amount of acclaim. It will be a pleasure to catch them again and see just what British Sea Power is up to this time around.
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