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Comments / Notes
I can think of no other current band that could match the title better than this one. Considering how prolific they are, they have an incredibly large number of keeper songs.
The only thing is that I haven't heard of an audience wanting to jump on stage and tear things up yet, and none of the members seems to give controversial interviews. So, when is it going to happen for them?
Suzanne
(1cust180.tnt14.hou3.da.uu.net)
Da Body and Da Mind - Sun, May 09, 1999 at 14:08:33 (PDT)
Ironically, on the discussion board yesterday, I posted a query re: B&S. In short, I recently purchased "Sinister" . . . it is catchy musically and lyrically but the vocals lack punch . . . they're just too whiney/wimpy . . . and The Smiths comparison (particularly vocally) is strained. The Smiths had an edge in and among the strumming . . . but B&S is all "strumming soft sell". My CD club allows me to return it within 30 days of purchase and I'm leaning on a return. Is this all B&S has to offer? Or is there more force and conviction on their other offerings? Does that voice improve any? Show me the way, Suzanne! If not, they need something more than devoted fans, Smiths-like cover stars and layouts and one or two catchy rhymes per song. But maybe I'm missing something? Your thoughts and insights would be appreciated. And The Gentle Waves . . . more of the same? Who do they compare to?
Nick Seriously <mozzer@ibm.net> (nyor1ts4.ny.us.ibm.net)
- Sun, May 09, 1999 at 20:00:00 (PDT)
im a big fan of both the smiths and belle and sebastian and i listen to both groups quite avidly...as far as similarities, i can only see few...both are/were indie groups and have that non-commercial-crap-rock sound...both groups have music that are lyrically rich and catchy (yet their styles are quite different....
lastly, both groups have a "cult-following" and a wide acceptance among music fans everywhere, despite a lack of (over)exposure from the media which many musical acts (ie: crappy third-wave ska groups, oasis, bush, etc.) depend on...
other than that, the only other connection is that belle and sebastian cite the smiths as one of their influences (the beautiful isobel campbell cites 'Queen is Dead' as one of her favourites!)...they are two different groups that have taken the world by storm...
sorta like the kukl/sugarcubes phenomenon in the late eighties that had NME (or was it melody maker?) hailing them as 'the next big thing to come out of europe since the smiths' (or something like that)...
...now it's belle and sebastian...
ps: check out the ep's...that's their best stuff...'dog on wheels' is a great ep...so is '369 seconds of light'!
state of emergency
(cs-d0571.resnet.ucsc.edu)
- Sun, May 09, 1999 at 21:26:46 (PDT)
They shouldn't even be compared with the Smiths.
Edwin <edwinvextrex@hotmail.com> (ip78.charlotte9.nc.pub-ip.psi.net)
- Mon, May 10, 1999 at 10:30:58 (PDT)
Was passing through O'Hare airport in Chicago last week and stopped by the record store. Saw B&S's "Boy With The Arab Strap" and bought it based on all the comments from this site. Boy, was I dissapointed.... It wasn't that the music was bad, it's just that it sounded like an old "The Church" cd from like 1985. I also thought it was a little whiny. I'm going to give it a constant listening though on my next trip. Maybe it will wear on me (personally, I always thought the Housemartins were the closest band to The Smiths, at least when they first came out...)
Later,
Me
Morris C. <MozMan68@aol.com> (129.228.72.164)
Back in G.R. - Tue, May 11, 1999 at 07:05:40 (PDT)
I kind of see the Smiths comparison, lyrically perhap s, but I think B&S sound musically a bit more like the Velvet Underground or the Kinks. It's all good stuff though.
Marrissey
(33.detroit-06-07rs.mi.dial-access.att.net)
- Tue, May 11, 1999 at 10:38:04 (PDT)
I have recently purchased "If your feeling Sinister" and I like it a lot. The lyrics are very smiths-like yet the music and vocal are more like bob dylan. I am hoping for a bit more of an edge (or at least a falsetto)! Can anyone recommend the next album by B&S that I should buy?
iamawas <iamawas@aol.com>
- Wed, May 12, 1999 at 04:24:38 (PDT)
I don't think Belle and Sebastian sound anything like The Smiths but, god help me, I can't stop listening to them!
The Girl Racer <%00>
Chicago - Sun, May 16, 1999 at 18:20:42 (PDT)
I didnŽt live The Smiths Era (I was 4 when "Hand in glove" was released), but after having read everything about them, IŽm agree that the behaving of the B&S fans (me included) are quite similar: their songs go deeply into our hearts. But if youŽre into B&S, youŽll know that there are more important influences than The Smiths, like Felt, Nick Drake or The Velvet Underground, The Pastels or the Tindersticks, even though they covered "Reel around the fountain" in one of their earlier gigs in Glasgow.
If anyone is interested, IŽve got a zine (in spansih) about B&S.
Jordiet <0291942a01@abonados.cplus.es>
Barcelona - Tue, May 18, 1999 at 12:37:27 (PDT)
No, No, No! Belle and Sebastian don't sound anything like The Smiths. If you want a band that does (but not really), go see "The Sweet and Tender Hooligans". But for many, including myself, B&S is the first band to come along since The Smiths that is really, absolutely, positively worth getting fanatical over. Trying to explain why they are special is like having to explain why The Smiths are special; I'm not even gonna try. What these two bands do have in common is absolute charm and amazing songs!
ideal <ideal75@earthlink.net>
Sierra Madre, CA - Thu, May 20, 1999 at 15:56:52 (PDT)
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