English rock band British Sea Power announced the release of their fourth studio project Man of Aran earlier this season. It surfaced as a concept album concocted by the band, whose mission was to create an original score to the 1934 Irish film Man of Aran by Robert Flaherty.
Man of Aran first debuted as a live orchestrated performance to the film during London’s BFI film festival this past April. British Sea Power are set to follow it up this summer at the Big Chill Festival, a performance which is highly anticipated from a band known for their extravagant live set up and stage presence. The score provides a fresh new look at the band’s indie-rock tendencies and much needed depth to a long since abandoned film about life on Ireland’s Aran Island.
The entire score is orchestrated to create a wide atmospheric depth of sound and mood, reflecting the differing direction of the band, and the hardships of Aranian workers on the screen. The album’s title track opens with a sparse piano melody and forces you into a large and desolate room. Strings quickly follow, and continue to appear on almost every piece. Certain moments tend to mimic the sounds of the sea as the cinematic moods of the film are interpreted into the composition. “Come Wander With Me” is the only piece that features vocals as they chant repetitiously "He came from the sunset, He came from the sea, he came from the sorrow and can love only me." It is the harmonious balance between the dismal, aged soundscape needed for the visuals, and the band’s familiar and modern tremolo guitar that makes the song so appealing.
“The Currach” is a short and uplifting waltz, and “Conneely of the West” serves as the album’s most modern sounding composition. It comes to a close with the typical and stagnant song “No Man Is An Archipelago.” While very predictable, it serves as a descent back into the reality from which the listener left.
"Spearing the Sunfish" is British Sea Power’s strongest piece on the record. Able to stand on its own as well as function within the confines of the film, this piece shows the full reach of the band on this record as the song takes you from minimalist ambient noise to full out shoe-gaze rock.
From beginning to end Man of Aran lifts you out of the world you are in to take you on both an emotional and visual journey. Without any prior knowledge of Flaherty's film listeners are able to paint a very clear picture thanks to the various instruments, compositional influences and room tones. The album began as a very intriguing concept and finished with a very powerful aural journey for audience, actor and musician.
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