British Sea Power

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New Rough Trade band, British Sea Power, are a superb blend of Icicle Works, The Chills and even The Charmeleons.

After the Strokes and Moldy Peaches, it is good to see we have advanced so quickly through music fashions.

― Sonicred, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I've got their first single ("Fear Of Drowning") and it's certainly promising in a ramshackle sort of way - reminded me more of Disco Inferno pre-samplers. Their stage show is notorious for featuring flagellation and owls.

― Tom, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Hold on, the Icicle Works???? Damning w/faint praise OR WHAT.

― Tom, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

There was no flagellation when I saw them but there was a lot of staring. And a heron. They were rather good.

― RickyT, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

tuneless/ugly/talentless need i go on

― dee, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Ricky T was at the same gig as me, and I thought it was the funniest thing I'd seen in ages. I don't think that this was intentional, sorry, they were rubbish, and the lead singer loved himself waaaaaay too much for such a mediocre band.

― chris, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Oh a friend of mine knows them, I nearly went to see them, but I didn't.

― james, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

It's roy wilkinson the Q journalists brother who sings in the band.Roy is there biggest fan but wants to keep it quiet it's his brothers band so he can talk it all up and we all are supposed to be stupid and not know....tasteless

― hype watcher, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

This is the best thread ever, particularly the hype watcher post. My new band is going to blend the best elements of A Flock of Seagulls, The Woodentops, and 'Til Tuesday.

― dan, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Hehehe. Well my new left-soul act will draw admirable comparisons with early Simply Red, Wet Wet Wet, the Red Skins & Latin Quarter.

― stevo, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I agree this thread is v funny.What a sham the press is.Expect a future of rock review from old roy wilkinson the man who is dictionary definition for hick

― daz, Wednesday, 7 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I saw them at the same show as well and i thought they were very handsome. I just heard their latest single on Lamacq and its sounds like talking heads/pixies. It rocks.

― bidou, Thursday, 8 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I saw them at the garage. They were certainly much better than the French Kicks who were awfull. A bit David Lynch.

― bob, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

French Kicks = two half decent songs to start the set, then very dull indeed.

― RickyT, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

great rock scandals

- jerry lee lewis marries his twelve year old retarded sister (or something)

- milli vanilli can't sing as badly as they'd made out

- someone is someone's brother

phew, thanks for uncovering that one. looks like i'll have to get a mind of my own when it comes to music from now on! apparently atomic kitten don't play their own instruments either and geri halliwell isn't actually 19.

― wilde, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

i used to have a mind of my own once, now i let other people do the thinking for me, saves on the old brain power

― gareth, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

brain power. windmill power. sea power. it's all the same.

except british sea power. who, despite the fact that they force 6 year olds to eat glass, are all lovely himbos with great songs. i especially like the last one they do, the best 20 minutes i ever spent.

― wilde, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

It's amazing roy wilkinson having all these different internet names makes you think British sea power have fans not.

― sonicyoof, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

anyways, what so wrong about the Icicle works?

― g, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

This thread is rather unusual isn't it?

― RickyT, Friday, 9 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

yes, my friend says he heckled the french kicks quite a lot.

― james, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I heard British Sea Power on the radio today - very normal mid tempo alt rock sounding - they remind me of an average alt rock band a few years ago called Annie Christain.

British Sea Power are not worth following. BSP your 15 seconds of fame are up.

― DJ Martian, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

They were alright when I saw them, not great, not terrible, just there. Doubt I'd buy anything by them. And who are these mystery posters?

― DG, Sunday, 11 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

i am a figment of DGs imagination.
British Sea Power are brilliant.
i have never heard them though

― gareth, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

The Staring. Oh, the staring. The owls. The military uniforms. Is it Twin Peaks or is it Memorex.

I've been played their single on repeated occasions by 3 different people. I'll be darned if I can remember a note of what they actually sounded like. This does not bode well.

― Ugly Wife, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

British Sea Power would have been better had they actually used a real dreadnought as a stage prop.

― DG, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

have fans not?

real i am yoda. and friends many i have too are.

― wilde, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Why the fuck does this thread read like a ROY WILKINSON press release.Fuck sake you bald hick have a bath wash what little hair you have left on top of your spotty unkissable face and get some taste.Nobody likes your little brothers smelly band.Piss off indie saddo

― daz the bath attendent, Monday, 12 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

crikey. you're a bit sharp.

do what you like and like what you do?

you won't stop me going to see them on thursday.

― wilde, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I really liked BSP at the Monarch, they made me think of Television and Idlewild. Plus the gimmick thing: single blue-white light onstage, night-time woodland noises between songs and stuffed animals and tree branches onstage, it was very evocative, if a little silly. I thought they pulled it off - singer dances around in a cowl... exciting.

I'm not Roy - he doesn't like me.

― chris, Tuesday, 13 November 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

British Sea Power are a very very good band. The singer and bass player are brothers too. Their songs are excellent and their album will be great, a bit different to the normal boring bands. And there is proof they have fans. Here is a fansite of mine - http://www.britishseapower.eg.st and here is a yahoo group - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/british_seapower such a damn good band and you might as well stop hating them and saying their fame is up, they're one of the bands of 2002. Joe.

― Joe, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I've never heard of them but I need to download because that's one of the best band names EVER.

― Maria, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

but isn't it playing into the EEVIL trend of nautical imagery? is that at all acceptable?

― Dare, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

it's nautical but nice.

― ethan, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

You have violated the Pun Treaty of 1995, as instituted by the UN to save the world from rampant destruction, and under the terms of that treaty your computer is to be taken from you and your jaw wired shut.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 18 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

― MV, Sunday, 20 February 2005 22:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

Remember Me was such an awesome song - I really can't work out why they haven't risen to prominence along the lines of, say, Franz Ferdinand. Seeing Franz Ferdinand on the NME awards last night was quite depressing - is Alex really supposed to be the hippest, most charismatic, intelligent frontman in British rock? He seems like a bit of a dullard to me.

― chris sallis, Monday, 21 February 2005 14:07 (8 years ago) Permalink

i don't think the general public are ready for a band that has members that swing about on stage with a couple of stuffed owls under his arms.

having said that there are a couple of songs on the new album that could break them through.

― jellybean (jellybean), Monday, 21 February 2005 14:22 (8 years ago) Permalink

If the general public can get into gay love songs a la "Michael" by a band named after an assasinated Audstrian archduke, why would they be put off by a few stuffed animals, provided the songs are good enough?

― metalmickey, Monday, 21 February 2005 19:19 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

New album out in about 10 days.

― Popture, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 07:34 (5 years ago) Permalink

It's really good.

― Davey D, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 07:52 (5 years ago) Permalink

I can't wait!!

― King Boy Pato, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 12:39 (5 years ago) Permalink

“The aim of this record is to have Poles dancing with Slovaks, Romanians dancing with the Welsh, Arsene Wenger dancing with Alex Ferguson and everyone singing this song. We’re better together than we are apart – all together and nice and drunk. The East is maybe the future of all of us lot in the West, so long live the mighty power-chords of trans-national rock music.”

There is not nearly enough pretentious wankery in music these days. I love it.

― King Boy Pato, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 12:41 (5 years ago) Permalink

But it has football references - wahey!

― King Boy Pato, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 12:46 (5 years ago) Permalink

New album: great songs, hampered by poor use of "bookending tracks" concept.

― Simon H., Wednesday, 2 January 2008 13:56 (5 years ago) Permalink

I'm not dancing with no Slovak.

― edwardo, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 14:24 (5 years ago) Permalink

Not even if they Pole dance?

― King Boy Pato, Wednesday, 2 January 2008 14:24 (5 years ago) Permalink

Kind of boring on the first two listens, I really liked the pristine melodic sound they went for with the last record but this one seems to have too much bluster and too little that's actually memorable.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 3 January 2008 09:37 (5 years ago) Permalink

Enjoying this a lot off a distracted listen in the office.

― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 14 January 2008 15:13 (5 years ago) Permalink

I dunno, I kind of agree with the Observer review from yesterday. All their reviews start off going 'Plants onstage! Songs about glaciers! They're so interesting!' but the music is so generic and uninspried.

― Matt DC, Monday, 14 January 2008 15:22 (5 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 124 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I take it back, further listens have revealed these to have much charm, especially "Machineries Of Joy".

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 28 February 2012 21:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

Are they more "Who's In Control" or "Cleaning Out The Rooms"?

[CDs seem to be taking an age to arrive]

― djh, Tuesday, 28 February 2012 21:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

Ordered "Do It For Your Mum".

Like that it arrived from a D Wilkinson with one of those Stroke Association return address stickers.

― djh, Wednesday, 29 February 2012 21:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

EP1 is more "Cleaning Out The Rooms" slow burners, EP2 is more uptempo stuff.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 29 February 2012 22:20 (1 year ago) Permalink

Tonight's Klub Krankenhaus is shaping up to be a belter. Three BSP sets including a Zeus and Valhalla Dancehall one; Bo Ningen and the Girl Brutus dance troupe.

― Conan The Asshander (Doran), Friday, 2 March 2012 15:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

Ordered "Do It For Your Mum".

Like that it arrived from a D Wilkinson with one of those Stroke Association return address stickers.

Yeah, this. Read on a cruise ship with the Open Season Tour bookmark it came with, no less.

EPs are rather good stuff, preferring EP2 'tbqh'.

Miffed that I didn't get on the shortlist of their animal in a hat contest. Fuckers.

― Putin on the Ritz (King Boy Pato), Friday, 2 March 2012 22:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Enjoying the book.

The remixes/alternative versions CDs are patchy but include some good stuff.

― djh, Saturday, 10 March 2012 22:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

There's a comical device used in the "Series of Unfortunate Events" books where the author will use a (vaguely) unusual word (eg. "precipitation") and then use a page explaining what this means. i'm sometimes reminded of this reading "Do It For Your Mum". there are odd tangents that, for the most part, make it more interesting than a lot of rock books. sometimes though it feels as if wikipedia has been used, particularly when visiting cities.

― djh, Friday, 16 March 2012 19:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

EP3 just arrived, it's more languid and instrumental, which is to be expected as they're working on a new soundtrack.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 22 March 2012 12:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

That probably describes my favourite side to BSP.

― djh, Saturday, 24 March 2012 22:52 (1 year ago) Permalink

Ah man, I think that book is beautiful. So well observed. It is cheeky with language in a really entertaining way: Heroin enthusiast etc.

― Conan The Asshander (Doran), Sunday, 25 March 2012 14:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

Absolutely - I liked it a lot, for the most part.

― djh, Sunday, 25 March 2012 16:34 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

EP4 continues the monthly parade of releases - more bands should do his! Opening cut is particularly great.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 28 April 2012 01:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

Currently loving the alternate versions of "Cleaning Out The Rooms".

― djh, Saturday, 28 April 2012 19:53 (1 year ago) Permalink

Oh, well, the original is damn great too! These guys have been one of the most consistent guitar bands this century.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 28 April 2012 23:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

I was saying just the opposite to a friend, earlier: they're wildly *inconsistent* - I much prefer their un-rock side.

― djh, Sunday, 29 April 2012 00:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

Really? I think all their albums have been at least very good, and the mix between bombast and contemplative work keeps both fresh.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 29 April 2012 01:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

There's the odd rockin' piece that I like but the tracks that I * love * are more languid.

The only album I love all the way through is "Man of Arran" (which does include rocky bits).

― djh, Sunday, 29 April 2012 10:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

The latest album is the only one I haven't gone back to that much. It's not a bad record at all but I just didn't click with it the same way I did with the others. I think Do You Like Rock Music might be my favourite these days, that's mainly because of how much I love No Lucifer. First three are all pretty solid though, great live band too.

― Kitchen Person, Sunday, 29 April 2012 11:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

"Man Of Arran" is strictly instrumental, right? I prefer their vocal work.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 29 April 2012 14:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

EP5?

― djh, Sunday, 13 May 2012 21:09 (1 year ago) Permalink

Available for order now, go get it!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 13 May 2012 23:51 (1 year ago) Permalink

http://sheffdocfest.com/view/thespace

― djh, Sunday, 20 May 2012 10:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Listening to EP6, which took a dogs age to arrive. As usual, these snapshots of works-in-progress need repeated listens to reveal their charms buthere's much to love already.

It's been a brilliant marketing ploy at the very least and a great tip of te hat to fans. I wonder what will make their next album,and how will it change between now and then?

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 6 July 2012 02:12 (10 months ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

Were EP5 and EP6 worth spending money on?

― djh, Sunday, 7 October 2012 18:43 (7 months ago) Permalink

Oh yes. Fund a favorite band!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 7 October 2012 18:56 (7 months ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

― djh, Friday, 11 January 2013 19:14 (4 months ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Am enjoying the DVD sound track.

― djh, Monday, 28 January 2013 22:48 (3 months ago) Permalink

They announced their new album coming 4/1. You and I will reconvene on this thread to compare reviews.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 29 January 2013 00:22 (3 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

New video:

― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Monday, 18 March 2013 20:52 (2 months ago) Permalink

That's really good. I didn't realise they had a new album coming out so soon. I thought the last album was a bit of a dip in quality but looking forward to this one anyway.

― Kitchen Person, Monday, 18 March 2013 21:03 (2 months ago) Permalink

New album might be the best one yet.

― Doran, Monday, 18 March 2013 21:24 (2 months ago) Permalink

Has Graham S produced again?

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 18 March 2013 21:31 (2 months ago) Permalink

They did it themselves with an engineer but they did a good job.

― Doran, Monday, 18 March 2013 21:51 (2 months ago) Permalink

Cool, that's great to hear. At this point the third album is still my favourite.

― Kitchen Person, Monday, 18 March 2013 21:54 (2 months ago) Permalink

KP, what's missing from "VH" in your opinion? As much as I like "Do You Like Rock Music" I find "VH" to be stronger and more interesting., ultimately lingering in my head longer. After the demo EPs from last year, I think we're in for another winner!

Have they ever played in the US?

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 18 March 2013 23:31 (2 months ago) Permalink

I realise it's a bit of an unpopular opinion to have the third album as a favourite. I listened to Vauxhall recently and a lot of it just passed me by. I think the album really gets good on Stunde Null and the next two songs after that are my favourite run on the album. Baby is totally forgettable and Living Is so Easy is probably my least favourite single they've put out, it's just a little too cheesy. Observe the Skies and Cleaning Out The Rooms are highlights but then again the last three tracks I find quite forgettable. It's not a bad album at all, it's a low seven while the first three are all high eights.

I didn't hear any the EPs so these will all be new songs to me, looking forward to it a lot now.

― Kitchen Person, Monday, 18 March 2013 23:45 (2 months ago) Permalink

So this is lovely, really musical and tuneful, none of the occasional shouting for attention they can be guilty of, feels like it will really unfurl over the weeks and months like Open Season did.

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 1 April 2013 20:59 (1 month ago) Permalink

awesome, i am excited to get this

― Roberto Spiralli, Monday, 1 April 2013 21:11 (1 month ago) Permalink

Not really feeling this from a couple of plays (I'd happily just hear BSP play variations on Man of Aran, mind.) Hoping it will grow on me.

The sleeve seems oddly "could be any ol' indie band", too.

― djh, Wednesday, 3 April 2013 19:31 (1 month ago) Permalink

Yeah the same for me. It's a nice album but the magic that made those first three albums so great just isn't there for me this time.

― Kitchen Person, Wednesday, 3 April 2013 21:10 (1 month ago) Permalink

Quite liking this surprisingly. Had rather given up on them but at this moment am finding the new pensive BSP a better proposition than the flag waving incarnation.

― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 3 April 2013 21:27 (1 month ago) Permalink

I want to do a POX, I think.

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 4 April 2013 07:05 (1 month ago) Permalink

North Hanging Rock
Cleaning Out The Rooms
Zeus
Oh Larssen B
The Lonely
Atom
No Lucifer
Fear Of Drowning
Machineries Of Joy
When A Warm Wind Blows Through The Grass

Honourable mentions to Bear, We Are Sound, Remember Me, Like A Honeycomb...

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 4 April 2013 07:10 (1 month ago) Permalink

Tried to do it in order but apart from the top two there's not much in it.

No Lucifer
Victorian Ice
Like A Honeycomb
Carrion
Atom
Please Stand Up
Fear of Drowning
It Ended on an Oily Stage
No Need to Cry
The Lonely

The albums

Do You Like Rock Music?
Decline of
Open Season
Machineries Of Joy
Vauxhall

― Kitchen Person, Thursday, 4 April 2013 07:35 (1 month ago) Permalink

Albums would be...

Open Season
Zeus
Machineries
Vauxhall
Decline
Rock Music

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 4 April 2013 08:00 (1 month ago) Permalink

I know Zeus is 'only' an EP, but it's 43 minutes long and it's brilliant.

― they all are afflicted with a sickness of existence (Scik Mouthy), Thursday, 4 April 2013 08:00 (1 month ago) Permalink

It definitely earns points for Cleaning and Bear. Love the use of the latter in "From the Sea to the Land Beyond".

― djh, Thursday, 4 April 2013 17:08 (1 month ago) Permalink

I know Zeus is 'only' an EP, but it's 43 minutes long and it's brilliant.

Precisely, and it's that sense of adventure found on it that seems missing from "Machineries Of Joy". I've given the latter a couple of listens and there's about 4 tracks that grab me and the others - not so much. At least yet, I'll give it a chance to grow on me. I'm going to spin the demo EPs again, too, and see how they compare. For what it's worth, the bonus 5 track EP that came with my order has a brilliant how-could-they-leave-this-off track "Facts Not Right".

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 5 April 2013 03:08 (1 month ago) Permalink

i like this a TON. they have probably gone in the exactly direction i wanted, although i couldn't claim to have known that was what i wanted until i heard it. more judicious use of volume and noise, less conscious of fostering the 'big venue' sound that i think hurt val dancehall and rock music somewhat. and they seem to have embraced the mid-tempo-y songs that have become a strength of theirs.

― Roberto Spiralli, Thursday, 11 April 2013 01:47 (1 month ago) Permalink

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