Remember the first time you dimmed the lights, sat back with a bag of Doritos, and watched with wide-eyed wonder as
The Wizard of Oz synched up near-flawlessly with Pink Floyd's
Dark Side of the Moon? Even if you're a few decades too late to find that truly fascinating, there are a ton of other pseudosoundtracks out there to blow your mind. Some are hilarious, others are downright terrifying (
Passion of the Christ set to Wilco's
A Ghost is Born still gives me nightmares).
Well,
British Sea Power has taken the phenomenon into their own hands. The English indie-rock band best known for their distortion-powered guitar-heavy music (imagine if The Walkmen spent some time across the pond) and their outrageous live shows occasionally featuring a ten-foot bear (check out the
Baeble video!) is outdoing themselves yet again. The band has recorded a soundtrack to the re-release of the 1934 quasi-documentary
Man of Aran, about fishermen on a bleak Irish island. The pairing is so brilliant, Roger Waters must be kicking himself for not thinking of it first.
If the video for "Come Wander With Me" is any indication, the result is equal parts strange and gorgeous. British Sea Power has toned down their sound, even approaching Sigur Ros at times, to create a brooding melody well-suited to the isolated seafaring life. Epic power ballads give way to epic trumpets that make the monochromatic scenes ethereal. If that's not enough to earn the project a permanent spot on your eccentric late-night movie shelf, this particular folk duet happens to be a cover of a song sung by actress Bonnie Beecher on a
Twilight Zone episode of the same name. Far out. -
Nina Mashurova
British Sea Power on Tour
07/18 - 2000 Trees Festival - Withington
08/06 - The Big Chill - Eastnor Castle
08/07 - Get It Loud in Libraries - Morecambe Library
08/16 - Open Air Theater - London
08/21 - Greenman - Glanusk Park
08/22 - V Festival - V Festival
08/23 - V Festival - V Festival
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British Sea Power on Myspace