ALBUM: British Sea Power - Man of Aran

After the flurry of interest surrounding BSP after their Mercury-nominated third album Do You Like Rock Music?, a veritable Arena-sized barnstormer, it seems odd that this release is so low-key and under-billed. But of course, this isn't your regular BSP album.

74 minutes in length, it is meant as a "re-imagined" soundtrack to 1934 documentary film Man of Aran that was performed live at the BFI accompanying the film. Despite containing some re-imagined favourites, this is about as Hollywood as these guys get.

So of course, like most soundtracks, devoid of visuals this is unfortunately pedestrian at best, and is a demonstration instead of their own seld-constructed scene of the cultured and the twee. To my mind, the only band to have been nominated for a Mercury Prize and have appeared on Countryfile. Twice.

So for those of these seeking their follow-up, this isn't it. This is a record for the fans, the completists and the curious.

6/10

Man of Aran is out now on Rough Trade.