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British Sea Power: Open Season
What's there not to like about British Sea Power? In a year where, allegedly, good old British Pop (please note I did NOT say Britpop) is back in guitar form, then these Brighton-based philanthropists and sonic engineers are surely already the figureheads, despite being little more than an album old. Such is their rise and rise though, BSP now hold a position to be envied by all but the most immediate-impact orientated. Debut album 'The Decline Of British Sea Power' was one of those records that gently filtered through the conciousness of indie kids until suddenly, they're playing theatres and this, their second album is set to catapault into the top ten...
But so it is, and as hit-parade-in-denial single 'It Ended On An Oily Stage' breaks into its grandiose and skyscraping chorus, it's clear that BSP are looking towards the top of the mountains with 'Open Season'. And while it's famililar musical and lyrical territory, there's a distinct movement towards the other end of line marked 'important yet individual'. And individual they remain; hark at the way that 'Be Gone' shakes and quakes as singer Yan magestically uses the phrase "I love your iridesecent sheen". Who else? Quite?. But on 'Open Season', some of the rough edges of their previous LP have been smoothed and it's a slicker, slightly friendlier musical world that the band exist in now. The full-on guitar abuse of the likes of 'Favours In The Beetroot Fields' from 'Decline...' has not quite disappeared, yet been gently coerced into songs of more stately nature. Indeed, 'Will I Ever Find My Way Home' sounds like a homage to the recently-departed American indie heroes Luna and is possibly the jauntiest musical piece they've offered - give or take the suitably dark and lost lyrics. But what's more exciting is the likes of 'Like a Honeycomb' which is an absolutely giant of a tune, as enthralled in its own anthemic status as it deserves to be, as ghosted keyboards and echoed guitars wind their way to the heavens. In fact, with Yan's Bowie-esque vocal coming to the fore, songs on 'Open Season' take on an epic, 'Heroes' feel (quite a compliment) in scope and adventurousness. Fortunately things never billow out of proportions, and for every driving 'Victorian Ice', there's a lamentative 'Oh Larsen B'. Onwards, upwards and across the landscapes.
The gentle, searching lullaby of 'True Adventures' is a fitting closer, filled as it is with idiosyncracy, depth and general beautiful mayhem. Which is an excellent approximation of the band's newest ouerve. Whether they're prepared for it or not, 'Open Season' is set to transcend indie cliques and hardcore raving mentalist fanbases and blow BSP wide open. God bless them and the merry ship they sail.
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British Sea Power - Open Season
Yet to hear this, look forward to it greatly.-
Re: British Sea Power - Open Season
I've said it elsewhere on this site but I'm really not sure about 'Will I Ever Find My Way Home', it just sounds wishy washy.
The rest of the album is top though!
Anyone that can write a song about a glacier (Oh Larsen B) deserves praise -
British Sea Power - Open Season
Like a honeycomb and North hanging rock are two choo choo choones. Looking forward to hear True Adventures LIVE (if they play it), as it would sound Boss -
British Sea Power - Open Season
Nice review. Spot on with these ears as well!
Following up something like 'The Decline Of..' was never going to be easy but they've pulled it off in style. -
British Sea Power - Open Season
I wanted to like it but it just bores me. Have had it for a few weeks now as well so it's had time to grow. It either drifts along in a lethargic fashion or, when it does get going, sounds rather too much like the last one. Oh dear. And I thought they were going to be my favourite band...*unpicks BSP sew-on patch from duffel coat and prepares to sell on eBay*-
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It's brilliant.
The whole album has grown on me massively.
True Adventures (or chickenpig to hardcore fans) is just fantastic. How will I ever find my way home is excellent, and How Animals Work will be a festival anthem.
Having said that, I'm enjoying my last few days of BSP being a cult band.
if the Decline.. was winter, Open Season is spring. -
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Today agree. It's a really frustrating listen and i've had the misfortune see them a few times and just wanna scream: WAKE UP! COME ALIVE YE BASTIDS!
Really don't get the fuss.
Back to listening to M.Ward...-
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By Today, i meant totally.
I blame the demise of Infinity and the very late night drinking that occured lastnight.
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British Sea Power - Open Season
Wonder when the US release is? I canna wait! love this band!!
But I wonder if the conclusions of this article might be overly optimistic: can a band named BSP hit the big time? I'm guessing Mr Annot is right about Open Season being a great record and BSP remaining our secret.-
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im inclined to believe that michaela is a ladyname.
and she appears to have a girlface in her profile...
i dont think their names particularly damaging to chances of success.
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British Sea Power - Open Season
I stand corrected. A very pretty Ms. Michaela.
Re BSP name. Well, I know we in the US are still fairly pissed about that 1812 business.... ;-) Nah, seriously I wonder how mainstream a band named British Sea Power, wearing WWI garb, tossing twigs into the audience can be! And we music nerds (or maybe I oughta just speak for myself here) frequently get excited about an alternative band/album only to be disappointed by the public's response or lackthereof. Where it was easy to see Coldplay (at least after Rush of Blood) might breakthrough, I don't see that same mass appeal for the boys from Brighton. Their loss! -
British Sea Power - Open Season
A major letdown after the first album. Worth getting for three or four tracks maybe, but a couple sound dangerously close to AOR or Snow Patrol (the most dreary band I've seen live...supporting Grandaddy....couple of months later they were huge and I couldn't believe it...mind you should never underestimate people's dull musical taste).
Didn't really want to say that being a Brighton boy and that. Mind you seems to be a bit of a trait with Brighton bands. Same thing with Clearlake....great, original first album then underwhelming follow up. They've got a new one coming out I hear so maybe I'll be pleasently surprised.-
British Sea Power - Open Season
bsp TOPOFTHEPOPS!!! x -
British Sea Power - Open Season
Finally someone compares Yan's voice to Bowie! It's so obvious but reviews never pick up on it.
How can you review this album without mentioning Please Stand Up though? What a song - huge, explosive chorus - challenges Carrion as their best track yet. Personally I'm not so much into Like A Honeycomb. -
British Sea Power - Open Season
Very good album. It's not that different from 'the decline of...' and there's some really really good songs ( none as good that Spirit of St Louis which is my favourite BSP song ). Perhaps they're a little more 'commercial' but it's still very good.-
British Sea Power - Open Season
Oh come on! ('it's not that different from 'the decline of'). It's duller for a start. Without the edge....dare I say it....get's pretty boring about half way through.
If they didn't have the uniforms and the twigs they would be viewed as just another ok but nothing special anthemic British indie band.
Why is everyone talking up this album? Play it back to back with 'the decline of' and then honesty say it's better or a step forward.-
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Got it yesterday and was listening this morning.
Agreed that its similar to the first album, maybe too much at times, but the quality is there.
Question is, why did they release it with that horrible flimsy casing that always breaks to easy :(-
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If you do it this way, listen to their first two singles and then to 'the decline of...', and they already had lose their edge.
The new album is a good POP album.
I don't have listen to it enough yet to say if it's better or not that the first but it's a good album.
BSP were never revolutionary, just a good POP band. If you want smething different, listen to Magoo, Fonda 500... -
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i've always been a fan of the flimsy card casing.-
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looking forward to hearing this album, great band. -
British Sea Power - Open Season
wow controversy. can't be doing with this bsp hating. i love this album, it's been pretty much on repeat on my stereo or ipod since i got it over a month ago.
it's brilliant. and i would put a decent argument as to why it is brilliant but it;s 1 am and my brain is all mushed from seeing the mighty interpol tonight. that is a whole other story and i hope to see a review of tonight v soon on dis.
agreed that fonda 500 are certainly something a little different tho. saw them live a couple of years ago and never laughed so hard at a gig. very entertaining if a little devoid of melody that night.
anyway, just adding my weight to the side of the bsp lovers here.
btw, i've read many other reviews that make reference to yan's bowie-esque voice. it's pretty obvious. innit? -
British Sea Power - Open Season
I'm not a bsp hater (or bater), just that I thought the first album was pretty fantastic and felt a bit dissapointed with the latest. It has got four or five really good tracks but hasn't got the immediate excitement I felt with the decline of.
And before people say 'it's a grower' I'm not sure if it is. I've tried to grow it over the last week but it's not really flourishing.
Dowloaded a few tracks by Fonda 500 and they sound interesting. Saw something comparing them to Salako who I really like.
Anyway looking forward to I Am Kloot album on Monday and The Delgados RIP. A fantastic dour Scottish band. That's dour in a good way....I love dour Scottish bands.-
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Listened to the album a couple more times and its excellent stuff, flimsy casing aside :(-
British Sea Power - Open Season
Like A Honeycomb reminds me too strongly of Killing Moon by the Bunnymen (admittedly they could pick worse songs to rewrite), overall it's another consistently strong, very good, definitely 4 out of 5 album. -
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Clearlake original first album? It was a good album, but it was unoriginal Britpop-recividism in style. Then the second, they're ploughing their own furrow. Just checking: you do realise Lido was their first, and Cedars their second? -
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Fonda 500 are the best live band in the world. Seriously, they rock.
I've seen them three times now, and will be seeing them again at Truck. If you can, try and download a track called "Super Chimpanzee". Acetastic.
In other news, i'm off to see BSP tomorrow in Manchester. I cannae wait. -
British Sea Power - Open Season
It's obviously the same album as their debut (natural imagery in the lyrics and a real love of melody), but this is a very different beast from the debut's hotch-potch paranoia.
Gone are the manic post-punk freakouts, gone is the epic feedback-frazzled ending. Gone is much of the paranoia (musically if not lyrically).
If someone had told me those things before the album came out- that it was a lighter album with the focus on simpler songs than their debut- I'd have expected to be disappointed. But disappointed I was not, and this is my album of the year thus far, despite some pretty strong competition (Redjetson, Red Sparowes, Silver Mt.Zion...).
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Re: British Sea Power - Open Season
i will laminate for 50p
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If you want 10 tracks of mosh-worthy jump around riffs, then i'm sure there's pleanty of bands on the market. BSP dont need anybody to jump around and go mental to tell them how good they are!
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British Sea Power - Open Season
Where did I say I wanted 10 tracks of mosh-worthy jump around riffs? What to go with the B&S, Clem Snide, I Am Kloot, Delgados, Magic Numbers, Northern Soul and all the other stuff I like? I don't think so.
Is this message board meant to be a fawning fan board or are you allowed to say something mildly critical?-
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Soulboy has a touchy soul -
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Id like it more if it wasnt BSP, the general level of quality is lower, every tune on Decline Of is absolutley brilliant, which is one reason its a classic album, this one is just good/great.
The other reason the first album is brilliant is the dynamics of it, one minute theyre going nuts and the next its really mellow.
I disagree with the reviewer, theres nothing on this album for them to climb up the rigging to and go absolutley mental, the full on guitar abuse has dissapeared.
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the whole albums on myspace -
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magic numbers are shit.
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