The Decline of British Sea Power

2003′s debut by British Sea Power seemed to come out of nowhere. Here was a band fully formed in terms of its sound and aesthetic, and who sounded about the most exciting British band for years. With echoes of late 70s Bowie (Lodger/Scary Monsters) giving a glam feel to their more traditional sonic palate. Signed to revitalised Rough Trade (who had shook up the British music scene with New Yorkers the Strokes) they seemed in the vanguard of a series of British rock bands who were “indie” but not afraid to write big songs. If there were some bands, like Athlete and Elbow, who appeared to be taking Radiohead’s introspective aesthetic, British Sea Power, along with Bloc Party, seemed to be in the other direction, wanting to make a new kind of alternative rock music for the young people (mainly guys) who came to their gigs. There was none of the faux sixties/faux new wave gestures of labelmates The Libertines, more the quirky art-rock aesthetic that you can find in bands like Magazine, Psychedelic Furs and Echo and the Bunnymen.

In songs like Carrion, they weren’t afraid to try their hand at the anthemic, and this side of their music would come through more and more on following albums, but for once, with The Decline of British Sea Power, a band seemed to have got all its good habits together on the debut.

Seeing them live in 2008, it was the songs from the debut that stood out from the sonic storm, careering riffs, reminiscent of Fripp on Scary Monsters, anthemic choruses, and a certain quirky raggedness. Follow ups Open Season and particularly Do You Like Rock Music? had their moments, but weren’t anywhere near as surprising. Listening to it now its one of the best debuts of the decade, and all the better, for having been such a surprise package.