British Sea Power “Atom”

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British Sea Power puts on an insanely awesome stage show—owls, military garb paired with delicate crochet wear and even audience participation (as in you have to catch them as they fall from ceiling beams if you want the concert to continue without concussions).  Their third album, Do You Like Rock Music?, recently came out here in the States and while, yes, I do like rock music (thank you for asking!), I wish they’d given us a little more of it on this one. I miss the scruffy, you-might-want-to-back-up-because-we’re-gonna-rock-out-right-now sound of their debut album, The Decline of British Sea Power (which, ironically, has an undeniably un-rock name).  There are some solid songs here, though—”Waving Flags” and “Atom” will make excellent additions to their live output. But there are some others—”Canvey Island” for example—where I don’t know what he’s singing about or why. Even though it would just take a quick Google search, the point is I’m not interested.  I’m also not concerned, though. British Sea Power has a good sense of the theatrical, and even though Rock? flirts with overwrought production and lacks the promised rockness, on stage it’s just them, the music, and their grandmothers’ cardigans. Sweet, rockin’ cardigans!

— Amber Hollingsworth

BRITISH SEA POWER WITH COLOURMUSIC AND CASTLEDOOR AT THE ECHO, 1822 SUNSET BLVD., ECHO PARK. 8 PM / $14 / 18+. WWW.ATTHEECHO.COM.