British Sea Power - 'It Ended On An Oily Stage' (Rough Trade)
3/5
By: JJ Florio
There are certain songs; from the poetically articulate to the literary clumsy where the meaning is undeniable, take The Streets' 'Blinded By The Lights' and Jet's 'Rollover DJ' as respective examples. On the flip-side, we have those moments in lyrical history that seem to keep the listener guessing. Ever wondered what 'I Am The Walrus' is actually about? Or the meaning of Dylan's 'Tombstone Blues'? Was Kurt Cobain really an albino, or a lilo? Who knows. And so in true lyrically ambiguous fashion, 'It Ended On An Oily Stage' marks the eagerly awaited return of British Sea Power.
This single, taken from upcoming album 'Open Season', is a verbal collage with a collection of lines that could almost be from different songs, placed together to create a deliciously surreal lyrical flow. Lines like 'All across the eastern board, languages were being lost' and, 'Everything I started with ended on an oily stage' are sung over a backdrop of ringing drums, sweeping feedback and a guitar hook almost 60's-harking in its harmonic sweetness. All put together - the sort of thing Michael Stipe would write if he were plied with a vast selection of high quality hallucinogenic drugs. It's, resultantly, a bizarre but ultimately fulfilling trip.
Artists in this article: British Sea Power
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