British Sea Power - Man Of Aran

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Press release
Soundclips

4...according to our Business Lady on Thu 14 May, 2009.

'Man of Aran' is British Sea Power's re-interpreted soundtrack to American filmmaker Robert J Flaherty's dramatised documentary 'Man of Aran' which explores the day to day life of the people living and working on the near inhospitable Aran Islands just off the west coast of Ireland. This is pretty difficult to review due to the fact that I've not seen the original film or the re-worked version with the BSP soundtrack but the press release provides a lot of information on the subject and obviously the album comes with an accompanying DVD of the re scored film. It's fair to say that this is pretty different from previous BSP records and is more of a band indulgence as opposed to a full on follow up to last years 'The Decline of British Sea power'. The music is both epic and bold whilst respecting the boundaries that define good soundtrack music. It's also got a lot in common with post-rock groups like Mogwai and Sigur Ros who are no strangers to the concept of soundtrack music and the various devices it employs to communicate the ideas presented on the screen. Definitely a curious and interesting release worthy of further investigation. The film sounds great, described by BSP guitarist Noble as "...a wonderful film. The images vary between huge drama and a brilliant kind of ridiculousness - check out the amazing foot-wide bobbled berets that the fishermen wear. It's a great look, like a 1930s Irish version of Jack White or Kraftwerk. It's a film that's also relevant to the current era – a time when the idea of living a simpler life is in the air..."

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· The BSP ‘Man Of Aran’ package includes two discs - the re-scored Man Of
Aran DVD, plus the soundtrack by itself on CD.
· “It’s a wonderful film”, says BSP guitarist Noble. “The images vary between
huge drama and a brilliant kind of ridiculousness - check out the amazing foot-wide
bobbled berets that the fishermen wear. It’s a great look, like a 1930s Irish version
of Jack White or Kraftwerk. It’s a film that’s also relevant to the current era – a
time when the idea of living a simpler life is in the air. The film shows something
I'd like to think I could do, but know I never will”.
· ‘Man Of Aran’ is a powerful and provocative dramatised documentary from
the late American filmmaker Robert J Flaherty. In a series of startling blackand-
white sequences the film presents daily life on the inhospitable Aran islands on
the west coast of Ireland. The film was both celebrated and controversial on its
release.
· The film was created from half a million feet of film shot by Flaherty
while living closely with the islanders. But ‘Man Of Aran’ isn’t a
straightforward documentary.
· The ‘family’ at the centre of the film weren’t related, rather a group of islanders
cast as the family unit by Flaherty. The fishing expedition for basking sharks which
forms the film’s dramatic heart was based around methods that hadn’t been
employed on the Aran Islands for decades. Blending reality and staged
elements, Flaherty arrived at a compelling document that captures the
elemental power of the island’s past and present.

Man Of Aran * The South Sound * Come Wander With Me
* Tiger King * The Currach * Boy Vertiginous * Spearing
The Sunfish * Conneely Of The West * The North Sound *
Woman Of Aran * It Comes Back Again * No Man Is An
Archipelago