BRITISH SEA POWER
BO NINGEN - DAVID J ROCH
Stanley Theatre
Entering the Stanley Theatre with the crowd beginning to gather, to the delicate sounds of DAVID J ROCH provided a downbeat kind of mellow not usually associated with a visit from BRITISH SEA POWER. Whilst reminding us early on that he is usually accompanied by a band, Roch was solo tonight and invited us to take an intimate look at his torn, romantic offerings. Vocally, he has a scope and ambition reminiscient of Jeff Buckley: fragile yet strong and with an impressive range. Sans band, this is really allowed to come to the fore too, and some of his songs showed off their immediate beauty on first listen. Showing us glimpses of new album Skin and Bones, Roch was also quick to engage the audience with a self-depracating humour to contrast sharply with heartwrenching lyrics. Performances of Dew and tgher album's title-track in particular stood out; a guy definitely worth keeping tabs on.
The second warm-up act were though, quite frankly, a slap in the face for those who had settled in for a pleasant night infront of an acoustic guitar. Strange, androgynous and very loud, BO NINGEN have been attracting much attention of late, already being compared to post-hardcore act Fugazi and even Krautrockers Faust. They provide a real contrast, not only to Roch but to the vast majority of support acts at an indie gig. Onstage they are drums, bass guitar, lead guitar and rhythm/lead vocals. But whilst they are typical in line-up as a four-piece, thats pretty much where they dispense with the conventional. Uniformly sporting chest length dark, straight hair they are striking in appearance before you even get to their attire. Wearing clothes which may have been found at the bottom of Ziggy Stardust's fancy dress box, they fill the room with frantic high-pitched vocals, boundless energy and guitar riffs seemingly placed randomly within songs.
Planned or not, choosing to come on after Bo Ningen meant that BRITISH SEA POWER arrived on stage to a crowd warmed-up and ready for more. With new album Valhalla Dancehall on the shelves, they had a barrage of new songs to show off and seemed in good spirits as they entered the stage. The band, for those who don't know, are Yan (vocals/guitars), Hamilton (bass/guitar/vocals), Noble (guitars/keys), Wood (drums), Phil Sumner (cornet/keys) and Abi Fry (viola). The recent addition of Fry on the viola does bring about a notable extra dimension to the new material but also serves to add something to the back catalogue as well. They are indeed known for their live performances. Mainly, this is a reputation earned by their onstage use of air raid sirens, foliage as well as their use of unusual and often inspiring venues. What is perhaps less obvious though is their choice of songs in the live sets. They always seem to favour an even mix of tracks from each album. This is kind of refreshing when compared to the 'we're not doing our most famous songs, we're bored of playing them' attitude of some bands.
Back to the new material though, opening with lead single from the album Who's In Control?, there is no immediate departure here. Guitars soar and chime before thoughtful lyrics build to a rousing and warming chorus, this is how BSP have always plied their trade. Where their sound has evolved though, is through the likes of Mongk, a number introduced in last year's E.P. Zeus and revamped for Valhalla Dancehall as Mongk II. Off-kilter and brooding, it's also inventive and intelligent and has a catchiness which grabs you, unsuspecting. For all the majesty and beauty of their earlier material, this is a song which shows a self-awareness and an ability to move away from their songwriting comfort zone. There are shortcomings within the new stuff though. Take Living Is So Easy, it is by no means a bad tune, and is instantly hummable, whilst containing some expertly tonge-in-cheek lyrics. However, it also somehow souless, especially when compared to the likes of set-closer Spirit Of St. Louis. The latter has heart, zeal and a modestly brilliant guitar solo, whereas the former seems a little lightweight and flimsy in comparison. Overall, Valhalla Dancehall probably isn't as complete as previous efforts and may provoke the very occassional use of the 'skip' button. However, it is innovative and accessible enough to be recommended as a starting point for the newly intiated.
Pete Robinson
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