On 15 August 2003 Something for Kate issued their fourth studio album, "The Official Fiction", which is their first number-one album. It was produced by Shoemaker at Mangrove Studios, again. Lawrence opined that it "is the perfect soundtrack to the inevitable self-indulgent melancholy I'll be suffering/enjoying for the next few days/weeks/months. The precisely structured chord progressions, creative arrangements and insightful lyrics are already weaving their magic and cultivating the warm gloom of loss." He noticed that "[Dempsey's] voice is instantly recognisable and familiar as he tells the stories that have become a feature of SFK's unique lyrical content" while "Hyndman's drumming is far from conservative, offering oddly but deftly placed accents and a beat that fights the sugar-sweet melodies to provide a much-needed edge."