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British Sea Power @ Scala, London, 25.05.2005

BRITISH SEA POWER

James Berry just about manages to stay afloat in a less than buoyant atmosphere as the distinguished British Sea Power propose a dam between them and novelty.

18/06/2005

Five years of performance art reduced to a single leafty sprouting taped to Yan’s sleeve? Which is gone almost immediately anyway, cast aside a few songs in, during a routinely chaotic ‘Apologies To Insect Life’. Which is a shame, obviously. You didn’t love them because of the eccentric foliage and stage-set taxidermy, but it made you embrace them more, certainly. It didn’t contribute directly to the searing, victorious guitars of ‘Remember Me’, for instance, performed tonight in all its naked glory, but instead gave it an engaging place to call home. But British Sea Power seem to have developed maturity issues – they’ve got that burning post-debut desire to be taken seriously, sans props. Which is in many ways a disappointing outcome for a band that burned round the clock as a beacon of theatre and knowledge in a sea of shallow attitude and pedestrian performance.

But it is hard to take too many points away on presentation when the content impressively carries more weight with every outing. ‘Larsen B’ seems superfluous in the context of ‘Open Season’, a little heavy footed for all its company, but as it trips over riff after riff after interlaced melody in its mezmerizing climax tonight it proves they ain’t short of ideas. Not by a long chalk. And there will be no use here for that chalk either, no outlines necessary, there is life aplenty up there. There are two aged men performing a wild bucking-bronco dance before of us as if to offer gusty confirmation of that, as ‘Spirit Of St Louis’ plays their tightest hand.

Some of the older songs are starting to become solidly classic, played as if they’ve seen many a season come and go now. ‘Fear Of Drowning’s ever ethereal guitar line and monumental beat feel etched into the fabric of the room. But the newer songs really make strides unleashed. ‘How Will I Ever Find My Way Home’ is bright and unapologetic, outplaying the album version. ‘Please Stand Up’ builds with a sense of purpose, like the Flaming Lips rooted in the real world and sees a man (part of the unashamed bucking bronco party) stood on a barrier with his arms aloft for the duration. Quite. ‘North Hanging Rock’ takes well placed baby steps forward and is very beautiful in its organic formation. Stony-faced Noble even offers up a modest smile as it spirals powerfully upward.

‘Lately’ sits pretty at the end of the set, and that is where the festivities really begin. You can fill in the dots yourself from hereon in. There are bird noises peppered throughout the set. Eamon is the misshapen wind-up toy soldier in the reductions box he always was. This is still a recognisable band. But as much as we mourn all that has departed from the experience, we also have to concede that they’ve got exactly what they wanted. They are the band they wanted to be, without the perceived novelty.

Relevant sites:
http://www.britishseapower.co.uk



James Berry for Crud Magazine 2004©


04/05 British Sea Power - Live - Scala, London
04/05 Eels - Live - Royal Festival Hall, London
04/05 Doves, Elbow, Longview - Carling 24 , Manchester
04/05 Joy Zipper, ICA London
04/05 The National - 100 Club, London
04/05 Redjetson / Liberez / Twentysixfeet - Marquee, London
04/05 The Warlocks - Bethnal Green Working Men's Club
12/04 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - ULU, London
12/04 Elbow - Live -Brixton Academy, London
12/04 Franz Ferdinand - Live - Alexandra Palace, London
12/04 Morning Runner - Kings College London
12/04 Carling Weekend Reading Festival 2005
12/04 Sigur Rós - Brixton Academy, London
12/04 Crud Top 20 Albums 2005


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