The Decline of British Sea Power

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The Decline of British Sea Power
Studio album by
Released2 June 2003
Recorded2003 at 2 kHz, et al.
GenreIndie rock, post-punk revival
Length47:15
LabelRough Trade
British Sea Power chronology
The Decline of British Sea Power
(2003)
Open Season
(2005)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic86/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Blender[3]
Entertainment WeeklyA[4]
The Guardian[5]
Mojo[6]
NME8/10[7]
Pitchfork7.7/10[8]
Q[9]
Rolling Stone[10]
Uncut[11]

The Decline of British Sea Power is the debut studio album by English indie rock band Sea Power, then known as "British Sea Power", released on 2 June 2003. "The Lonely", "Carrion" and "Remember Me" were all released as singles from the album, as well as older recordings of "Fear of Drowning" and "Remember Me", which differ from the versions on this album.

The quotation on the album art is paraphrased from the final line of the American novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.[12]

Track listing[edit]

  1. "Men Together Today" – 0:41
  2. "Apologies to Insect Life" (Hamilton/Noble/Wood/Yan) – 2:47
  3. "Favours in the Beetroot Fields" (Yan) – 1:16
  4. "Something Wicked" (Hamilton) – 3:12
  5. "Remember Me" (Yan) – 3:10
  6. "Fear of Drowning" (Yan) – 4:26
  7. "The Lonely" (Yan) – 5:12
  8. "Carrion" (Hamilton/Noble/Wood/Yan) – 4:06
  9. "Blackout" (Hamilton) – 3:48
  10. "Lately" (Yan) – 13:58
  11. "A Wooden Horse" (Yan) – 4:37

Japanese bonus tracks[edit]

  1. "Heavenly Waters" (Hamilton) – 6:35
  2. "Childhood Memories" (Yan) – 3:36

American bonus tracks[edit]

  1. "Childhood Memories" (Yan) – 3:36
  2. "Heavenly Waters" (Hamilton) – 6:35

Anniversary reissue bonus discs[edit]

[13]

THE DECLINE-ERA B-SIDES

  1. "Albert’s Eyes"
  2. "Moley & Me"
  3. "The Smallest Church In Sussex"
  4. "Salty Water"
  5. "Strange Communication"
  6. "Birdy"
  7. "Heavenly Waters"
  8. "A Lovely Day Tomorrow"
  9. "Apologies To Insect Life" (Russian Rock Demo)
  10. "The Scottish Wildlife Experience"
  11. "No Red Indian"
  12. "Good Good Boys"

THE DECLINE ERA, RARE AND LIVE

  1. "Carrion" (concert intro loop)
  2. "Childhood Memories" (single)
  3. "Remember Me" (Gareth Jones mix)
  4. "Carrion" (Mads Bjerke mix)
  5. "A Lovely Day Tomorrow" (Will Sergeant)
  6. "Strange"
  7. "Tugboat"
  8. "A Wooden Horse" (Golden Chariot B-side)
  9. "Fear Of Drowning" (Golden Chariot single)
  10. "The Spirit Of St Louis" (single)
  11. "Out Of My Mind On Dope And Speed"
  12. "A Lovely Day Tomorrow" (Czech EP alternative)
  13. "Fakir" (Czech EP)
  14. "The Smallest Church In Sussex" (instrumental)
  15. "Fear Of Drowning" (Club Sea Power)
  16. "The Scottish Wildlife Experience" (Club Sea Power)
  17. "The Spirit Of St Louis" (Club Sea Power)
  18. "Lately" (Club Sea Power)

THE DECLINE-ERA DEMO RECORDINGS

  1. "We’re Not Like This" (Monnow Valley)
  2. "Memories Of Childhood"
  3. "The Lonely" (organ demo)
  4. "Albert’s Eyes"
  5. "Heavenly Waters" (vocal demo)
  6. "The Smallest Church In Sussex" (piano)
  7. "A Lovely Day Tomorrow"
  8. "Something Wicked" (Hamilton vocal)
  9. "Black Ops With Liberace" ("The Lonely" (demo))
  10. "Always The Sea" (Monnow Valley)
  11. "Blackout"
  12. "Lately"
  13. "The Spirit Of St Louis"
  14. "Theme From Baraka"
  15. "Total War By Rock And Roll"
  16. Unused demo 1
  17. Unused demo 9
  18. Unused demo 3
  19. Unused demo 7
  20. "Diecastings"

Personnel[edit]

Sea Power[edit]

Additional[edit]

  • D. Sharp – French horn on "Blackout"
  • M. J. Noble – extra backing vocals on "Men Together Today" and "Blackout"
  • V. Oag – recorded sea on "Fear of Drowning"

Recording[edit]

All songs recorded by Mads Bjerke and British Sea Power at 2 kHz. Excepting "Carrion", recorded at Golden Chariot Studios, Roundhouse and 2 kHz and, with Marc Beatty, at Mockingbird Studio. "Carrion" mixed at The Townhouse by Dave Bascombe.

Release history[edit]

Region Date Label Format Catalog number
United Kingdom 2 June 2003 Rough Trade Records CD RTRADECD090
United Kingdom 2 June 2003 Rough Trade Records LP RTRADELP090
Japan 20 August 2003 Toy's Factory CD TFCK-87329
United States 9 September 2003 CD 06076-83214-2

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Critic Reviews for The Decline Of British Sea Power". Metacritic. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  2. ^ Deming, Mark. "The Decline of British Sea Power – British Sea Power". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  3. ^ Harrison, Andrew (September 2003). "British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power". Blender (19): 119. Archived from the original on 18 August 2004. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  4. ^ Kim, Wook (26 September 2003). "The Decline of British Sea Power". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  5. ^ Clarke, Betty (30 May 2003). "British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  6. ^ "British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power". Mojo (115): 110. June 2003.
  7. ^ Jonze, Tim (7 June 2003). "British Sea Power : The Decline Of British Sea Power". NME. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  8. ^ Petrusich, Amanda (2 October 2003). "British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power". Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  9. ^ "British Sea Power: The Decline of British Sea Power". Q (204): 100. July 2003.
  10. ^ Sheffield, Rob (16 October 2003). "The Decline of British Sea Power : British Sea Power". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  11. ^ "British Sea Power – The Decline Of British Sea Power". Uncut (74): 126. July 2003. Archived from the original on 7 August 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  12. ^ Wilder, Thornton; Drevenstedt, Amy (11 January 2023). The bridge of San Luis Rey.
  13. ^ "Home".

External links[edit]