Fronted by the gloriously gloomy Ian McCulloch, Echo &
the Bunnymen’s melancholic post-punk sound — studded with elements of both New
Wave and psychedelic rock — brought the group a slew of hits in the United
Kingdom in the early 1980s. In the United
States, meanwhile, the band attracted a
significant cult following after their self-titled release in 1987. Through the
past two-and-a-half decades, the group has undergone a number of lineup
changes, somewhat messy break-ups and half-hearted reformations, but earlier in
2007 they re-signed to their original record label, cut a new record and
embarked on a mini-tour.

The performance on the new concert DVD Dancing Horses was filmed and recorded at the Shepherds Bush Empire
in the UK in November
of 2005. It includes a robust 20-song set, and serves as outstanding proof of
the group’s songwriting ability and musicianship, if not necessarily their stage
presence. “Going Up” kicks things off, followed by “The Back of Love,” “Bring
on the Dancing Horses,” “Scissors in the Sand” and “The Cutter.” It’s not until
“With a Hip” and “Stormy Weather,” though, that the show really gets some lift,
though McCulloch promptly squanders a good portion of that with an affected, cigarette-smoking
performance of “The Killing Moon.” The cyclical guitar work and steady bass
line of “Never Stop,” scores high marks, and the show’s simple but artistic direction
effectively puts one in the moment, but overall the Bunnymen could stand to
benefit from an infusion of dynamism. “Of a Life,” “The Disease,” “All That
Jazz,” “In the Margins,” “Villier’s Terrace,” “Show of Strength,” “Rescue,” “Nothing
Lasts Forever,” “Ocean Rain” and the radio hit “Lips Like Sugar” comprise the
rest of the disc’s set list.

Housed in a clear plastic Amray case, Dancing Horses is presented in a 16×9 aspect ratio, with 5.1 Dolby
digital surround sound and PCM stereo audio tracks, the latter of which actually
seems a bit stronger and clearer. The disc’s main motion menu screen gives way
to the 86-minute concert, but the real added value of this release lies in its
47 minutes of interview offerings with McCulloch and Sergeant, who in their
separate chats dish on everything from the origin and metaphorical nature of
the title of their new album, Siberia
(“I don’t wanna say juxtapose, because it’s a crap word…” says Sergeant,
amusingly), to how their songwriting collaborations have changed over the years
(in short, much less in-room jamming these days). Title cards with the
off-screen interviewer’s questions set the table, and McCulloch and Sergeant
take it from there in fascinating fashion, with only the thick brogue of the former
giving one occasional pause. C+ (Concert) B (Disc)