British Sea Power rises
Bethan Jones
Issue date: 11/20/03 Section: Arts
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Some bands inspire their fans to commit insane acts of devotion, such as tattooing the lead singer's name on one's behind or buying every single record the band has put out, including the bad ones, or taking up bird watching. The band British Sea Power is one of these.
For those unfamiliar with British Sea Power, allow me to provide the disclaimer that they are not your typical British indie band. In fact, one might venture to call them eccentric. But their strength lies in their very absurdity. After all, how many bands do you know that try (in their own words) to "take the countryside on stage with us," meaning various stalks of plant life end up strewn about the stage along with plastic birds on top of amps? Or, for that matter, any band who appears on stage in WWI-era army and scouting uniforms? I must confess it was due to the anticipation of the unique British Sea Power live experience that I made the journey to Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey on Saturday, November 8. And I was not disappointed.
A first listen to British Sea Power's debut album, "The Decline of British Sea Power," did not win me over immediately. British Sea Power is one of those bands you have to first experience live and obsession follows later. We live in an age where elaborate stage set-ups are left to pop stars and most "true" musicians spend more time tinkering with their guitars than thinking about the atmosphere of the stage. But to British Sea Power, atmosphere is everything. While drummer Wood (they all go by one name) fiddled with his drums, guitarist Noble and keyboardist Eamon were on stage sticking boughs of pine and long sticks of who-knows-what kind of plant life in amplifier handles, on microphone stands and in between the drum kit. Once everything was set, Noble went off to don his white jacket with a splattered black looks-like-its-been-through-a-blitzkrieg motif and Eamon appeared back on stage without his pants on.
While the set list left off a few favorites, the band obligingly added them in as requested by some very drunk British fans. Highlights definitely included the band's last few singles "Apologies to the Insect Life," "Carrion" and the most recent "Remember Me." Singer and guitarist Yan has an uncanny deer-in-the-headlights stare so that the first time you see him you think there's something wrong with him, but let me assure you he actually stares at the audience on purpose. Yan also sings as though he's going hoarse, except when he's screaming incomprehensible lyrics about being afraid of drowning or telling Feodor Dostoyevsky how attractive he is.
For those unfamiliar with British Sea Power, allow me to provide the disclaimer that they are not your typical British indie band. In fact, one might venture to call them eccentric. But their strength lies in their very absurdity. After all, how many bands do you know that try (in their own words) to "take the countryside on stage with us," meaning various stalks of plant life end up strewn about the stage along with plastic birds on top of amps? Or, for that matter, any band who appears on stage in WWI-era army and scouting uniforms? I must confess it was due to the anticipation of the unique British Sea Power live experience that I made the journey to Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey on Saturday, November 8. And I was not disappointed.
A first listen to British Sea Power's debut album, "The Decline of British Sea Power," did not win me over immediately. British Sea Power is one of those bands you have to first experience live and obsession follows later. We live in an age where elaborate stage set-ups are left to pop stars and most "true" musicians spend more time tinkering with their guitars than thinking about the atmosphere of the stage. But to British Sea Power, atmosphere is everything. While drummer Wood (they all go by one name) fiddled with his drums, guitarist Noble and keyboardist Eamon were on stage sticking boughs of pine and long sticks of who-knows-what kind of plant life in amplifier handles, on microphone stands and in between the drum kit. Once everything was set, Noble went off to don his white jacket with a splattered black looks-like-its-been-through-a-blitzkrieg motif and Eamon appeared back on stage without his pants on.
While the set list left off a few favorites, the band obligingly added them in as requested by some very drunk British fans. Highlights definitely included the band's last few singles "Apologies to the Insect Life," "Carrion" and the most recent "Remember Me." Singer and guitarist Yan has an uncanny deer-in-the-headlights stare so that the first time you see him you think there's something wrong with him, but let me assure you he actually stares at the audience on purpose. Yan also sings as though he's going hoarse, except when he's screaming incomprehensible lyrics about being afraid of drowning or telling Feodor Dostoyevsky how attractive he is.