British Sea Power - 'Valhalla Dancehall' Album review.

The newest release from British Sea Power will be ignored by most, which is a shame. This band is very popular in the UK and they share elements of Coldplay, Doves, and Elbow but people still haven't heard of this sound giant. Which comes down to a couple reasons. This band isn't as marketable as other bands in the same genre. They play good music but their lyrics aren't as shitty has Coldplays or as strange as Doves. The music is all very powerful and deep and listeners don't want deep, they want shallow (see Coldplays X&Y). Has the new release continued this trend of great music or does it fall short?

'Valhalla Dancehall' is a odd album to review. The album has very contrasting songs, not so much in the way of genre's but more in the way of tone. The albums all over the map and I think that will be the first thing that people don't understand. I feel that this element was handled very well. You're never shocked by a song when it starts. They blend well for having such a different feel.

One of the great things about British Sea Power is how catchy their music is. It doesn't take much to start humming the songs to yourself. Songs Like 'Living is so easy' and 'Luna' are so infectious I found myself actively trying to learn the lyrics so I could sing along and in my head. That's rare for me and shows the strength of the song writing. The music is handled wonderfully. Songs never overstay their welcome and the album has a full 13 tracks which in itself is pretty impressive. The vocals are also handled very well. They might take a bit of getting used to, they aren't as soothing as Chris Martins but I think they are more unique and suited for this style of music.

If I had anything negative to say about the album it would be the use of the word "fuck". I'm not shy about cursing, nor does it bother me and while the use of the word in some of the songs is used well. It still stands out and is unneeded. Using curse words in music seems lazy to me. I have no interest in cursing when it is used for shock value..

'Valhalla Dancehall' is a fun album. Its a shame that it will most likely be overlooked by the masses. I encourage you to listen to the album in its entirety to get the effect of the band and to see their vision. Sometimes music isn't skin deep but has more to offer if the listener is willing to do so. If you're interested in listening to the album you can do so HERE.

'Valhalla Dancehall' gets a 4 three legged horses out of 5



Track listing
"Who’s In Control" - 3:14
"We Are Sound" - 4:47
"Georgie Ray" - 3:48
"Stunde Null" - 2:39
"Mongk II" - 4:49
"Luna" - 4:17
"Baby" - 5:47
"Living Is So Easy" - 4:01
"Observe The Skies" - 3:23
"Cleaning Out The Rooms" - 7:11
"Thin Black Sail" - 1:46
"Once More Now" - 11:14
"Heavy Water" - 3:42