Review Summary: Treading water? Maybe, but their rich soundscapes will pull more people under with them.
British Sea Power have tried their hardest to stand out from the rest of the indie pack that hit the big time in the early 2000s. They have a well-publicised interest in ornithology, a stage set that includes bear costumes, bracken and World War I soldiers and a more introspective bent on the gluttonous decadence that overshadowed the rest of British indie at that point in time. As a result they have carefully and craftily carved out their own niche; denoting them as the quirky cousins of their so-called contemporaries.
Their fifth LP,
Valhalla Dancehall, sees the group leaning towards more familiar territory but proving that they still have enough in the tank to produce an interesting and, at times, wild album. Under no real pressure to craft a hit single or pander to a fickle fan base they’ve been left well alone to plough their own furrow; a luxury ill-afforded to a lot of groups in the most dangerous of times for the industry.
BSP generally seem to veer from short, sharp and frantic bursts of energy to ponderous, epic and maudlin soliloquies. LP opener “Who’s In Control” is a case for the former, as is the Coral-esque “Thin Black Sail” with its echoes of “Favours In The Beetroot Fields” from their debut LP. For the latter, consider the soaring majesty and trance-like qualities of the 11-minute “Once More Now” and similarly “Cleaning Out The Rooms.”
One of the disadvantages of growing old, and doing it together, is the sense of cynicism that can pervade one’s life. BSP have always carried a more subtle sense of the macabre within themselves, but on tracks like “Living Is So Easy”, Yan’s derision of life’s basic functions is clear and yet somewhat humourous: ‘Living is so easy/shopping is so easy/dying is so easy/all of it is easy’ he sighs. Luckily for us, making such unexpectedly accessible records, readily able to strike a chord with listeners, is so easy for them.
There’s not much in the way of a new vibe for the group, but their more distinct role as a collective as opposed to a strictly defined and confined group allows them to explore what they know and do best. Second vocalist Hamilton assumes vocal duties on “Luna” and “Baby”, giving the LP a different dimension away from Yan’s style which can switch between crooning and manic yelping in seconds. It’s this built-in versatility that has effectively stopped things becoming stale.
BSP seem to personify that quiet, quirky rural character that permeates parts of the British Isles, it’s this that has helped them draw clear lines between themselves and the rest of the pack.
This is BSP in their comfort zone, but it’s one that most other groups are struggling even to locate. Should they risk all on their next LP and radically re-shape what appears to be working? Perhaps not. BSP have staying power owing to their ability to be as good as their most recent album and can only draw more people to their light in the process.
