British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?

On British Sea Power's sophomore album, Open Season, it seemed that the new-wave dissonance of their debut had been swept away to reveal they'd been writing conventional pop songs in thrall of Echo and the Bunnymen all along. On Do You Like Rock Music?, the enigmatic Brighton four-piece have regained their edge while simultaneously upping the production ante. The opening salvo of militaristic All In It swells to Jason Pierce-sized grandeur, mini-epic Lights Out For Darker Skies gives us a 'buy one, get one free' on great guitar riffs, while Waving Flag's angular pop melody recalls early single Carrion but with a joyriding angelic choir that'll stick in your head like a crystal ice pick. When BSP take their foot off the gas we get forgettable Smiths cast-offs like Open The Door, but for the most part they are a band who can answer the question posed by the album's title with an unequivocal 'yes'. [Darren Carle]