Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘British Sea Power’ Category

Heidi Julavits–”This Feels So Real” (Harper’s, November 2012)

Posted in Blur, British Sea Power, Catherine Wheel, Harper's, KEXP 90.3 FM--Seattle, WA, Privacy, Romance, Short Story, The Believer on November 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: BRITISH SEA POWER-Live on KEXP,  March 4, 2008 (2008).

The four songs from this set come from Do You Like Rock Music?  It’s the only album I have from British Sea Power, so I found the set enjoyable.  The band seems to specialize in a kind of chanted heavy rock.  This is especially noticeable in “No Lucifer” which has a big chanted chorus (the DJ observes that British fans chant a lot better than America fans–which is very true).

The singer’s voice reminds me a bit of Catherine Wheel (deep and kind of smooth, as opposed to high-pitched and/or screamy) and the music has a kind of Blur feel–very English-sounding.  And yet the band is a bit heavier than Blur and much darker as well.

“Atom” is a speedy blast of borderline punk.  “Down on the Ground” has a very catchy riff and “Canvey Island” has a building swelling sound that I really like.  They would never be my favorite band, but I really like this album.

I also enjoyed that the DJ was sort of fawning over the band since they had gotten about two hours of sleep the night before (after their show).  And I must say they sound pretty fine for having no sleep.  Check it out. 

[READ: November 1, 2012] “This Feels So Real”

Heidi Julavits is one of the founders of The Believer magazine, so naturally I’m drawn to her writing. And I have enjoyed most of her short stories (I haven’t gotten around to reading her novels yet).  But I really didn’t like this one.

It is about a contestant on a romantic reality show who has been kicked off the island (or whatever manufactured location they are supposed to be on).  He, Ryan P (for there is another Ryan on the show), really loves Ashley.  But she has given him the symbol that means she is not interested in him.  And we follow him as his love and obsession for Ashley blossoms.

Ryan says that there is a producer on the show, Chris, who is actually responsible for his departure–that he is the one who executes Ashley’s desires, but Chris seems to suggest that Ryan might want to try again (or so Ryan understands it).  The story then follows Ryan as he follows Ashley (and the other men remaining on the show–including Ryan M, whom Ryan P assumes is really gay).  He tries to avoid the cameras and tries to get closer and closer to his beloved. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Jamie S. Rich & Marc Ellerby–Love the Way You Love Side B: “Songs of Devotion”

Posted in Arcade Fire, Belle and Sebastian, Books about music, British Sea Power, Corporate skewering, Funny (ha ha), Graphic Novel, Jamie S. Rich, LGBTQ, Marc Ellerby, Oni Press, Romance, YA Books on January 28, 2010| Leave a Comment »

SOUNDTRACK: BRITISH SEA POWER-Do You Like Rock Music? (2008).

I’ve heard a lot about British Sea Power over the years, and I’ve enjoyed their smarty-pants attitudes.  I think that their first album is most highly recommended.  But I was able to get this disc with an autographed booklet from my favorite record store of all time, the long-missed (since they have no locations near me) Newbury Comics.  So I tried them out.

I can’t speak for their earlier discs, but I’m surprised by how much this disc reminds me of The Arcade Fire, which is odd given their Britrock pedigrees.  It opens with “All In It” which sounds like it could be an Arcade Fire outtake.  And as the rest of the disc continues, I found myself hearing bits and pieces of other bands.  I couldn’t put my finger on anything specific, but I kept thinking, ‘hey, that sounds like–.”

The biggest problem I had with the disc was that even after a few listens, most of it didn’t stick with me.  There were definitely moments where things really stood out (chanting choruses and whatnot), but overall, I kind of felt a lack of anything special.

The album closes with “We Close Our Eyes” which is a reprise of sorts of the awesome opening track.  Whereas the first track is 2 minutes, this one is 8, and it has lots of silences or quiet sound effects and it ultimately ends with a similar chant to the beginning.  But by the time that kicks back in, you’re just sort of annoyed by it.

I wish I could use that as a metaphor for the disc, but I can’t.  I enjoyed some of it, and didn’t dislike any of it really, but it doesn’t make me want to rush out and get their first album, even if it is supposed to be much better (and actually rather different).  I just wanted this disc to be better.

[READ: January 23, 2010] Love the Way You Love: Side B

I really enjoyed part A of this story.  And, at the end of that review, I had asked if Jamie S. Rich had recorded any of the Like a Dog songs.  Jamie wrote back to say that “Love the Way You Love” is available, on MySpace.  Now, I only wish he had included the wonderfully scalding punk B side, “Mighty Joe Marxism” that is featured in this second book.

But back to the story.

When we left off in Book A, Tristan has successfully wooed Isobel away from the evil record producer, Marcus King.  And he had successfully signed his band Like a Dog to a righteous indie label.

But all is now not well.  Marcus has pulled strings and caused a huge backlash on Like A Dog.  No clubs will book them and no distributors will carry their soon-to-be recorded first single.  And Isobel feels responsible for Tristan’s sadness.  This becomes even more apparent when Marcus basically says that he’ll lift the ban if Isobel goes back out with him. (more…)

Read Full Post »