Open Season

British Sea Power | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 5, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: ROUGH TRADE/ADA
• ASIN: B000XFZSUE
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,044 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. It Ended on an Oily Stage

2. Be Gone

3. How Will I Ever Find My Way Home?

4. Like a Honeycomb

5. Please Stand Up

6. North Hanging Rock

7. To Get to Sleep

8. Victorian Ice

9. Oh Larsen B

10. The Land Beyond

11. True Adventures

Editorial Reviews

Open Season is the second album by British Sea Power, the Brighton-based quintet who dress in old British war uniforms and surround themselves with taxidermised animals. Open Season has attracted big names to the helm: the majority of the album was produced by Mads Bjerke (Spiritualised, Primal Scream, Girls Aloud) and mixed by Bill Price (Sex Pistols, The Clash, Sparks). Two tracks were recorded and mixed by Graham Sutton (The Delays, Bark Psychosis) and Phill Brown (Sly Stone, Led Zeppelin, Talk Talk). The band believe that you see great things from the valley, and small things from the peak, and have aimed, with Open Season, to bring both perspectives. Open Season is the second album by British Sea Power, the Brighton based quintet who dress in old British war uniforms and surround themselves with taxidermised animals. Open Season has attracted big names to the helm: the majority of the album was produced by Mads Bjerke (Spiritualised, Primal Scream, Girls Aloud) and mixed by Bill Price (Sex Pistols, The Clash, Sparks). Two tracks were recorded and mixed by Graham Sutton (The Delays, Bark Psychosis) and Phill Brown (Sly Stone, Led Zeppelin, Talk Talk). The band believe that you see great things from the valley, and small things from the peak, and have aimed, with Open Season, to bring both perspectives.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Great Release, April 19, 2005

By 

C. Mackey (Somerville, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Open Season (Audio CD)

It's funny how people/critics will inevitably pan this album. BSP's debut "The Decline of BSP" was a noisy, post-punk thrash-fest, and it was excellent. Some fans expected Decline, Pt2... but got Open Season. Since expectations were not met, bad reviews will follow. The reality of it, though, is that BSP have crafted a wonderfully melodic (sometimes melancholic) sophomore album. All the hooks are memorable, and now that the distortion and angular noise has been stripped from the finished product, we are left with some of the most beautiful melodies released this year. Open Season is an angular verison of the Decemberist's "Picaresque". I say this because both albums convey the same feeling of being on a journey... they are wistful, nostalgic, but very present at the same time. Also, BSP seems to be forever compared to Bowie and the Pixies, and thats way off base. I'm sure that the guys listened to both bands, but the music is just UNLIKE either band. This is really one of the brightest gems released this year, and hopefully will remain that way for the rest of 2005.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continuing The Push...4 1/2 Stars, April 24, 2005

By 

MEWZIK - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open Season (Audio CD)

This is a great sophomore achievement for British Sea Power. I goto a local pub and asked to have them throw this on after I bought it. I have never advised anyone to drink a pint with an album, but do. The relaxed overview of Open Season is very refreshing,unexpected and a considerable 180 from The Decline Of BSP. They write songs that have this Wedding Present or Teardrop Explodes with young souls vibe - I love it and am glad the follow-up turned up to hold the hype of this still exciting and talented band.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an amazing record, April 16, 2005

By 

alexander laurence (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open Season (Audio CD)

British Sea Power is a unique band that emerged from the first wave of new British music that included Libertines and Franz Ferdinand. The Libertines came out with their second album and disappeared. Franz Ferdinand are working on theirs. The Power have come out with their sophomore effort when the next crop of bands (Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Kasabian, and Razorlight) are already looking for some booty. At first this record is deceptive. Nothing initial stands out. I have already written somewhere that I found their songwriting on their first album to be amazing and totally inspired. Some of that vibe is continued on this journey. The first two songs sound like tracks from the first album. "Be Gone" is the most worthy song. "How Will I Ever Find My Way Home" is part of the new sound, which is remarkably like a Luna song. It has that relaxed and not trying feeling. There is a quiet mood on a few tracks (Honeycomb, North Hanging Rock) that are much like the Velvet Underground. "Please Stand Up" is probably their best song here. It competes with their great songs of the first album. The wander into Phil Spector territory on "To Get To Sleep." After I listen to this album a few times, I realize that they have made a subtle great album. It is something that has lasting power. If The Libertines are the Pistols, Franz are the Clash, then British Sea Power are Wire. They have that unclassifiable quality that has many dimensions and cannot be immediately reacted to.