Bombay Bicycle Club is a very unique—and uniquely complex—pop group. A series of three albums over as many years, supplemented by a handful of singles and EPs, brought BBC a slow rumble of appreciation in its native England. By rights, the band’s fourth album ought to be the one that brings it the recognition that’s so far eluded it in the U.S., because So Long, See You Tomorrow (Vagrant) is, even on first listen, an LP that announces a sea change in a group’s approach, in the vein of Revolver or Pet Sounds. That’s high praise, but So Long is, among other things, the most sonically complex of all the band’s records. BBC—guitarist/vocalist Jack Steadman, guitarist Jamie MacColl, drummer Suren de Saram and bassist Ed Nash—will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new feature on the band.
de Saram: At risk of sounding a bit strange, one thing I really like to do from time to time is look at a world map. I find that my mind can go off on complete tangents while looking over one. Some of my deepest thoughts and philosophies have come about from spending time gazing at a map of the world (for more on my thoughts and philosophies, I’m currently writing a book Suren On Life). There’s the obvious benefit of improving on my geography skills. I’m constantly locating countries and cities whose whereabouts I was previously unsure of. I also find it strange that I can now look at the globe and have memories from many countries around the world that we’ve visited as a band. Just a few years ago countries such as Japan and Brazil were alien to me. The U.S. as well to some extent. Now we’ve visited all these places as a band, although it’s obviously impossible to get to know a place fully from just being there a day or two as we often are, we at least get a flavour and have been able to develop various memories from all these places that will stay with us. To think that many people never leave their home country for whatever reason makes me realise how lucky we are to be doing what we are. The other thing that a world map gives me is perspective. I find it mind-boggling to see how vast the world is and then to think that Earth itself is just a speck amongst it all. (See what I mean? Deep thoughts … ) I think it’s very easy for people to become inward-looking and self-absorbed. Some people get so caught up in their personal problems and their personal drive for success that they don’t see the bigger picture and don’t help those around them. I find it funny how much some people believe their own hype and act as if they’re the centre of the universe, when really we’re all just completely insignificant individuals in the grand scheme of things.
Video after the jump.
