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Rating: The first reviews from the English press of the new BSP album have showcased what can be described as lazy rock journalism by systematically drawing a comparison between them and Arcade Fire. I've even seen U2 being mentioned. Nothing could be more misleading. All because this "Do You Like Rock Music" (but try a bit harder on the titles, guys, eh?) can be perceived as an "epic" album and because one of the producers is a member of Arcade Fire.
But this is a gentle epic, a sounding oxymoron, a delicate epic that is fully consistent with BSP's debut, which, by the way, came out before Arcade Fire's debut! It's an epic that gently takes you by the hand and lifts you up, but almost without you realizing. The melodies are often dreamy, surreal. If a comparison must be made, I'd rather say that BSP at times could be a Morrissey finally with a truly indie rock backing band.
In short, the album is great because it starts off brilliantly, with a masterful intro, and then one, two, three potential good singles that define the aesthetics of DYLRM: "Lights Out for Darker Skies", "No Lucifer" and "Waving Flags". Exactly: haunting anthems, human-scale stadium rock. And it continues with the equally excellent "Canvey Island", with slowed-down rhythms but intact power and expressiveness.
Elsewhere, the album manages to be varied in its offering, for example in the beautiful instrumental piece "The Great Skua". The quality manages to hold up almost till near the end, but in the last tracks, ideas seem to run a bit thin with the stretched melody of "Open The Door" and the somewhat krautrock somewhat not, but definitely not very successful experiment of "We Close Our Eyes": too long and insignificant to be a valid closing piece.
Another album that certainly won't change the world, but within the rather gray and insignificant current British scene, BSP are one of the few bands searching for their own path, independent of momentary trends, and they demonstrate they are not just another instant-band. With DYLRM, they hit the mark.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
04 Waving Flags (04:07)
You are astronomical fans of alcohol
So welcome in
Arising in the East and setting in the West
All waving flags
We're all waving flags now
Waving flags
But don't be scared
And you, you will be here for a while
And it's all a joke
Oooh, it's all a joke
Ooooooh
Are here of legal drinking age, on minimum wage
Well, welcome in
From across the Vistula, you've come so very far
All waving flags
We're all waving flags now
Waving flags
But don't be scared
And you, you will be here for a while
And it's all a joke
Oooh, it's all a joke
Ooooooh
Beer is not dark
Beer is not light
It just tastes good
Especially tonight
(Oh welcome in)
So welcome in, we are Barbarians
Oh welcome in, cross the Carpathians
Oh we can't fail, not with Czech ecstasy
No we won't fail, not with Czech ecstasy
So welcome in
09 Atom (05:38)
I'll be the first to admit this is a bright but haunted age
I just don't know now now I just can't say hey hey
When you get down down to the heart and the bones of it
Thats when it breaks you know, thats when it falls apart
but thats the prize now
oh caveat emptor, open the atoms core
but thats the prize now
oh caveat emptor open the atoms core
oh caveat emptor open the atoms core
Whoa!
Oh Oh i just dont get it
And you keep slipping down the surface of things
i just cant take it now, i just cant wait for more
when you get down down to the sub atomic part of it
thats when it breaks you know, thats when it falls apart
oh caveat emptor, open the atoms core
Whoa!
Whoa!
Oh Oh I just don't get it
Get it
Oh I Just dont get it
Get It! Get It! Get It!
I just don't get it
Whoa!
I I just don't get it
No I, I Just don't get it
Just dont get it
get it get it get it get it
oh
Whats wrong with you?
ey lad?
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Other reviews
By GrantNicholas
From the brief and funereal opening with 'All In It' to the unsettling and lengthy conclusion of 'We Close Our Eyes,' we are faced with a record that is not particularly brilliant yet remains valid.
'Lights Out For Darker Skies' shows off tempo and melody changes as if it were three or four songs in one.
