British Sea Power "Do You Like Rock Music?" Rough Trade Records Sounds like: A no-talent band in love with its idols
Imagine a poorly curated museum on a distant planet - something equivalent to that generic early American history museum your elementary school class visited to see just what it was like to traverse the United States in a covered wagon. Now, try to imagine what that poorly curated museum would look and sound like if this distant planet's inhabitants were attempting to interpret and display Western rock music.
It might be called "Do You Like Rock Music?," and it might suck a whole lot. British Sea Power's latest album, packaged and presented with all the safety belts securing a generic history museum, stupidly asks the redundant question "Do You Like Rock Music?" Nah, bro, I got lost in Best Buy looking for the new Michael Bublé disc, and by God, I somehow managed to buy an album by some weirdo band called British Sea Power instead. Man, I do hate this rock music.
Played off like the aforementioned aliens who have just synthesized the past 30 years of Western rock music, British Sea Power has produced an album that's streamlined with an annoyingly pedantic flair. It hardly affords itself room for taking musical risks, and it might as well be enjoyed by a bunch of preadolescent kids who are in love with just about any stimulating source. Think back to seventh grade. Yep, it was about that time when anything played on electric guitar was, like, the most awesomest thing ever.
To be sure, British Sea Power boasts more than just electric guitars. Their music rises and falls with all the predictability of a young band worshiping its idols - present are the melodic choruses of The Verve, the guitar swells of The Walkmen, the massive instrumentation of The Arcade Fire and the crystal clear arena sound of U2. Of course, none of the hero worship translates into a single noteworthy song.
Let's just hope those aliens who are currently listening to British Sea Power at the "Do You Like Rock Music?" museum are thinking there might be something more to this rock music than cheap knockoffs from Brighton, England.
-STEPHEN TRINGALI
