British Sea Power

Sea Power Top 10

The Brighton via Cumbria outfit have been astonishing us with their erudite songwriting since the release of 2003’s raucous ‘The Decline of British Sea Power’ hit the shelves.

To honour the release, we’ve attempted the quite frankly, ridiculous task of picking our favourite 10 songs from the studio albums excluding ‘Everything Was Forever’ as we’re yet to fully digest it all. We’ve also excluded ‘Sea of Brass’ and ‘From the Sea to the Land Beyond’ as their majesty deserves their own features at a later date.

Three months ago, this seemed like a good idea. Today, having fallen out with my own conscience, can I ever really forgive myself for leaving out ‘K Hole’ or ‘Oh Larsson B’, remains to be seen. So, emotionally drained, bewildered as to why I ever thought this was a good idea, here they are. Enjoy:

10. Who’s In Control

In many ways, this former single defines them as a band. Anthemic and defiant, but never regressive! 10 years into their career, and following the huge success of 2008’s ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’, they exploded back into our consciousness with this guttural polemic.

Released before the May 2010 general election, it was a single that just kept picking up steam as Brown’s government began to decline and the community hates, born to rule old Etonians began their race to the bottom. 

As we sit in the cesspool of Johnson’s reign, Yan’s vocal rage seems more apt now than ever before.

9. Open The Door

It’s almost inconceivable this song is fourteen years old as lyrically, it feels so in tune with escaping social media in today’s society and the struggles of masculinity that Grayson Perry has explored so eloquently

No matter the epoch, the struggles of modern life prevail and, for the band, it seems they were in search of an escape or creative reset ahead of their biggest selling album:

“Five young men went for a walk / Sat on a tree stump and had a talk / It takes something to be a man these days / Nobody's scared, but we hide anyway”

Many dubbed as landfill indie would meander their way to a guitar solo and yes, that is what Sea Power achieves here. However, few can impart such tender folk alongside the behemoth stadium-sized solo and remain cult heroes. They did!

8. The Voice of Ivy Lee

Only Sea Power could deliver a song about the father of crisis communications linked with the rise of Nazism sound so effortless. Majestic ethereal pop music to soundtrack their dismay that played a huge part in Brexit and Trump’s victories (Oh, kings of propaganda / Won't you take another / Look at all the things you've done).

7. The Lonely

Guitars gently lapping into shore ignite this mid-paced triumph. The vocal hook of “I drink all day and play by night / upon my casio electric piano” is astonishing to this day. Scott becomes an indie Richard Burton whilst around him, the guitars howl into the night, isolated, wrought with anguish but forever sublime.

6. Please Stand Up

What a glorious moment. All the rawness of the debut album melted away into this polished piece of alt-pop. It deserved much greater than 34 in the charts but, in the long run, it’s served them well to be on the fringe of pop.

5. Don’t Let the Sun Get In The Way

Heavenly backing vocals glisten like a reassuring angel whilst the protagonist drifts into despair. A year on from the tragic loss of David Bowie and Yan delivered this angelic homage to his great vocals.

It is though, the guitars where it’s true greatness lay. From the shimmering rays of hope to the archetypal self-destructive blasts, they encapsulate a sense of drama quite like no other.

4. Remember Me

This track, then, now and forever will always set fire to the world. It’s blistering guitars fire like Placebo were rewriting David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ on an inordinate amount of speed. In 2002, The Coral’s ‘Goodbye’ and The Libertines’ ‘Up The Bracket’ and its b-side ‘The Delaney’ found a new path for the UK rock scene. In 2003, ‘Remember Me’ smashed it to pieces!

3. The Great Skua

All bands have instrumentals. Few have the cinematic glory of the Great Skua. The video really does speak for itself!

2. Carrion

This was their ‘Chemical World’ and ‘For Tomorrow’ moment. Raw and wayward but, riddled with great melody and drama, they shone a torch on the more polished pop prowess of what was to come in ‘It Landed On Oily Stage’ and ‘Please Stand Up’. For those of us who were there, for the obsessives, for people just like them, it’ll always be the track to cherish the most. The firstborn, the goodbye of a great friend who was going to change the world, for you as well as them.

1. Atom

For so much of the album, there is a feeling, we almost nicked the fa cup as the underdog. It’s always been their charm, but, on Atom, they strode out to Abide with Me at Wembley, wrapped the game up 3nil at halftime, and decided to play one-touch footy as their fans chanted “ole”.

The band’s identity, especially live, is put to record perfectly. Dramatic melancholic orchestration one minute, then drunken riot the next. Bliss!

Top 20 Albums of 2017

20. Ride – Weather Diaries

The Oxford quartet’s first album since 1996’s ‘Tarantula’ saw them on mixed form. At it’s best though, ‘Cali’ and ‘Lannoy Point’ deliver their brand of melodic shoegaze.

19. Cast – Kicking Up The Dust

The Scouse legends deliver their best album since the 1995 classic ‘All Change’. Flitting between their free flowing blues and spritely pop numbers, John Power has hit a purple patch of song writing once more

18. Noel Gallagher – Who The Built Moon

The old mongrel shed a few coats for his latest album. When he nails it, as he does on ‘Holy Mountain’, it’s magnificent. It’s big bold and new. Alas, when he doesn’t, its because the leaps are not big enough or he doesn’t remain in his big key change comfort zone. Nevertheless, with plans to make another record with David Holmes, this could be the start of a glorious journey.

17. Public Service Broadcasting – Every Valley

Those clever clever bastards have churned out the goods once more. Getting to grips with pit life in Wales this time round. The guest vocals from Camer Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell and Manics’ James Dean Bradfield were welcome additions to their sound. However, the standout track comes from the rage

16. GospelbeacH – Another Summer of Love

The West Coast veterans channel their inner Byrds spirit and deliver exactly what it says on the tin. As the cold sets in and all that’s left to eat is cold meat, this blast of sunshine will see you through to your next holiday.

15. Alvvays – Antisocialites

Molly Rankin’s sublime vocals should be saved for a long journey staring out windows at vast landscapes. Everything this band do sounds life changing or affirming.

14. Girl Ray – Earl Grey

With the single of the year ‘Touble’ on its books, Girl Ray were always making this list. Brilliant melodies, unique vocals and a sense of humour unrivalled, they are band with magic at their fingertips.

13. Tom Williams – All Change

History has always proven the poet can achieve far more than social comment. Nevertheless, the social commentary here is smothered such warming pop music vibes, it’s hard to picture this not reaching even those who disagree.

12. Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band

There is nothing we can say, that the genius John Dorman hasn’t about Michael Head already: https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/3ka349/the-british-masters-michael-head Nevertheless, we love this album, we love that Head is in a good place and long may it continue.

 11. Liam Gallagher – As You Were

To quote Jurassic Park, “clever girl”. Did anyone see this album coming? All the money was on a flailing Beatles via psyche album. What we got was, big emotive albums with remarkably honest and humble lyrics from the icon.

 10. Shed Seven – Instant Pleasures

Sixteen years was well worth the wait. All the pain and bitterness felt by band and fans alike when they were shunned by the industry has dissipated. Emerging from the fog are the unsung heroes of Britpop. This new offing is packed with great choruses, wit, and a charming underdog spirit. Business as usual!

 9. The Moonlandingz – Interplanetary Class Classics

This supergroup was always going to deliver wasn’t it? Whether it’s the Mary Chain inspired ‘The Strangle of Anna’, the Gary Numan-esque ‘The Rabies are Back’ or Earl Brutus via The Horrors ‘Black Hanz’, everything sounds so fresh!

 8. Idles – Brutalism

Wry, sarcastic and effing hilarious. This pitiless body of work will stop at nothing to take the piss and provide punk rock nirvana.

7. Johnny Flynn – Sillion

The one true genius of the nu-folk era returned from acting to prove he is still the master. No one in the folk world can touch him for sincerity of song writing. Everything he delivers has a warmth and depth of emotion to be admired.

6. British Sea Power – Let The Dancers Inherit The Party

Is this the first ‘Remainer’ album? Quite possibly. It has overarching sense of together is better and, inevitably, a sense of loss.

Forever consistent, BSP have risen their pop sensibilities to ‘Open Season’ standard and, on leadoff single ‘Bad Bohemian’, surpassed it. Despite the “half glass empty” and “what’s done is done” lyrics, it’s as defiant single your likely to hear. Effortlessly free, it tumbles and swirls with abandon.

Elsewhere, ‘Don’t Let The Sun Get In The Way’ is a sauntering rock behemoth which will stop you dead in your tracks to ponder life as you know it.

5. Daniel Wylie’s Cosmic Rough Riders – Scenery For Dreamers

Proving age is but number, Wylie, 59, as delivered a masterpiece. No one thought it was possible for him to ever reach the heights of the Cosmic Rough Riders’ ‘Enjoy The Melodic Sunshine’ but, this Teenage Fanclub via Neil Young offering just does that.

4. Theatre Royal – And Then It Fell Out My Head

Comfortably the pop record of the year. Smart, funny and always brave in its song writing topics. The heartfelt ‘Standing in the Land’ just grows in resonance the more the British press turns away from atrocities of Syria. To wrap such a subject in a achingly beautiful acoustic number is the very reason why so many people think Ed Sheeran is shit. This is the pinnacle of a simple song!

‘Locked Together on the Lines’, ‘Port Bou’, and ‘Will Somebody Please Write Me a Song’ ooze a carefree spirit that demands instant affection.

3. Ryan Adams – Prisoner

Mr Prolific is back, and his back with the most brutal of break up records. This is the sound of a crushing divorce and searing unseen pain. Channelled through big rock riffs and dream pop production, Adams is at his scintillating best. 

2. Wolf Alice – Visions of Life

The hottest property in the UK right now, and rightly so. They’ve combined a sense of experimentation with punk and pop immediacy on an album that is forever shape shifting in sound. Rock music might not be dominating the charts right now but, Wolf Alice have taking a big stride towards making it relevant again and, they’ve done it with the utmost integrity.

1. Trampolene – Swansea to Hornsey

What a year these boys have had. As if supporting The Libertines and Liam Gallagher wasn’t enough, all the promise from the early EPs has been followed up with an instant classic. There's the aching beauty of ‘Gangway’ and ‘Beautiful Pain, the vitriolic social comment of ‘Dreams So Rich, Life So Poor’ and William Blake poetry scattered throughout, it has it all