The Decline of British Sea Power

The Decline of British Sea Power
Studio album by British Sea Power
Released	2 June 2003
Recorded	2003 at 2 kHz, et al.
Genre	Indie rock, post-punk revival
Length	47:15
Label	Rough Trade
British Sea Power chronology
The Decline of British Sea Power (2003) Open Season (2005)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	86/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Blender	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A[4]
The Guardian	[5]
Mojo	[6]
NME	8/10[7]
Pitchfork	7.7/10[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

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

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

American bonus tracks

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

Anniversary reissue bonus discs

[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

Sea Power

• Yan (Scott Wilkinson) – Vocals, guitar, piano, organ
• Hamilton (Neil Hamilton Wilkinson) – vocals, bass, guitar, piano, organ, backing vocals
• Noble (Martin Noble) – guitar, piano, backing vocals, organ
• Wood (Matthew Wood) – drums

Additional

• 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

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

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

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

• The Decline of British Sea Power at Metacritic