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BRITISH SEA POWER, "CHILDHOOD MEMORIES"
Rough Trade
This four-piece art-rock outfit is from the misty, seaside town ofBrighton, England. Yet, proximity to the salty brine of the Atlantichas had more of an impact on their wardrobe than their music. Dressedon stage in military regalia cross-bred with Boy Scout fashion, BritishSea Power look more like retired ship captains than a band. Combinethis with their penchant for naturalistic stage sets—consisting ofstrategically placed trees, limbs and large, stuffed birds—and youmight begin to think this band is all image and no substance.Musically, "Childhood Memories" disguises itself as laid back tune, butemerges as a stunning rocker. It opens with a deceivingly subtle, yetterribly catchy hook that occasionally builds up into something larger,only to come down gently to where it began. The tension that thisbuilds finally explodes at the end, as the guitars swarm together tobuild a wall of sound behind lead singer Yan's repeated chant of "Andwe go, and we go, and we go!" The B-side, labeled as "Favours in theBeetroot Fields," is actually the (supposedly) CD exclusive track"Strange Communication." It's a gentle, breezy track dominated by Yan'slonging vocals and lyrics such as "Well I don't even remember thefall/and I don't even remember at all/and you'll probably never see meagain/Such a strange communication," display how, after a couple ofhit-and-miss early singles, this band has finally come into their own.With a full-length on its way, it's perfect timing.
This four-piece art-rock outfit is from the misty, seaside town ofBrighton, England. Yet, proximity to the salty brine of the Atlantichas had more of an impact on their wardrobe than their music. Dressedon stage in military regalia cross-bred with Boy Scout fashion, BritishSea Power look more like retired ship captains than a band. Combinethis with their penchant for naturalistic stage sets—consisting ofstrategically placed trees, limbs and large, stuffed birds—and youmight begin to think this band is all image and no substance.Musically, "Childhood Memories" disguises itself as laid back tune, butemerges as a stunning rocker. It opens with a deceivingly subtle, yetterribly catchy hook that occasionally builds up into something larger,only to come down gently to where it began. The tension that thisbuilds finally explodes at the end, as the guitars swarm together tobuild a wall of sound behind lead singer Yan's repeated chant of "Andwe go, and we go, and we go!" The B-side, labeled as "Favours in theBeetroot Fields," is actually the (supposedly) CD exclusive track"Strange Communication." It's a gentle, breezy track dominated by Yan'slonging vocals and lyrics such as "Well I don't even remember thefall/and I don't even remember at all/and you'll probably never see meagain/Such a strange communication," display how, after a couple ofhit-and-miss early singles, this band has finally come into their own.With a full-length on its way, it's perfect timing.
