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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Open Season
by British Sea Power
The tree-climbing, ice shelf-loving, Brighton, England band's second album follows two years after their debut ('The Decline Of British Sea Power') brought them critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Mads Bjerke (Spiritualized) produced.
| LABEL: |
Rough Trade |
| RELEASE DATE: |
05 April 2005 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Indie, Rock |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
91
Stylus Magazine
By adding textures, piano, acoustic guitars, and restraint, and losing some of the scowling and savagery, BSP have unleashed a truly unique pop creation, one with depth and feeling.
90
The Guardian
It's a triumphant lesson in sweeping gracefully towards the mainstream with your imagination and mystery intact.
90
Playlouder
Everything feels bolder than before, more assured of the rightness of singing from places that most lyricists fear to tred. In textures and words alone, 'Open Season' is a country mile ahead of any of the supposedly heroic guitar debuts knocking around in 2005.
90
No Ripcord
British Sea Power are not only the best band around, they’re also the best songwriters.
84
Filter
Open Season opts for simplicity, its plainest moments being its most transcendent, and for the most part, it carries you along. [#15, p.92]
80
Lost At Sea
Neatly cut and effortless in its melodic simplicity.
80
Alternative Press
Open Season takes debonair glam flourishes--screaming strings, slow-building lounge-act dramatics--and contrasts them with edgy riffs and subtle hooks. [May 2005, p.172]
80
Junkmedia
Furthers the high concept lyrical talents of the group with an added twist: a more atmospheric, slightly new wave sensibility.
80
Mojo
Less chaotic and parochial, more serene and accessible, but no less magical. [May 2005, p.96]
80
New Musical Express
All of this unique oddness would not, of course, mean a thing without the music, and this is an album without a single duff track. More than that, it has plenty of exceptional ones. [2 Apr 2005, p.46]
80
Drowned In Sound
Whether they're prepared for it or not, 'Open Season' is set to transcend indie cliques and hardcore raving mentalist fanbases and blow BSP wide open.
80
Under The Radar
Another superb album. [#9]
80
Blender
Swells with grace and intrigue. [May 2005, p.116]
80
Uncut
Although it's a shame to see eccentrics reining in idiosyncratic impulses,... they've honed their hubris. [May 2005, p.98]
80
All Music Guide
This album feels alive and breathes honesty.
78
Pitchfork
By maintaining their singular aesthetic while venturing into more inviting pop sounds, the weirdest band from Brighton just might have become the smartest.
72
cokemachineglow
It’s a good record, and doesn’t try to recreate The Decline, but it doesn’t manage to capture its energy, fear and grandeur.
70
Rolling Stone
The first few songs are so jaw-slackeningly great, it can take days to get to the album's highlight, the epic eight-minute medley of "Please Stand Up" and "North Hanging Rock."
70
Splendid
Don't look to Open Season to get your heart pounding or your blood flowing; it trades in less cathartic experiences.
70
Dot Music
Febrile, idiosyncratic, epic yet fun: "Open Season" may not raise eyebrows but it has – thank God - raised the hitherto pitifully low bar for British guitar rock.
70
Tiny Mix Tapes
For the most part, BSP is successful in their attempt to infuse a britpop sensibility into the otherwise insipid post-punk genre.
70
The Onion (A.V. Club)
British Sea Power's momentum flags down the stretch, but so long as it keeps generating songs like the hazy "Killing Moon" re-write "Like A Honeycomb," the band can return all it wants to the days of sweet sorrow.
70
Paste Magazine
Wickedly infectious and eerily nostalgic. [#16, p.129]
67
Spin
Finds these mysterious lads already advancing into their suave Roxy Music phase. [May 2005, p.102]
67
Austin Chronicle
The smartest thing about Open Season, ultimately, is that these gents tweak their sound with more than a little subtlety and still retain the spirit of the project.
60
Trouser Press
This may be a more mature effort, but in places that sound is ordinary and unadventurous.
60
Q Magazine
Sadly, Open Season's one-pace '80s guitar rock lags a bit behind the narrative. [May 2005, p.110]
60
ShakingThrough.net
Despite obvious talent and wit, it fails to leave more than a marginal impression.
58
Entertainment Weekly
The only real surprise is its wan predictability. [15 Apr 2005, p.77]
40
PopMatters
The potential is definitely there, but I can't help feeling that BSP have taken a step back from the promise of their first outing.
The average user rating for this album is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 27 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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