belle and sebastian and bis

[Mindy]

okay so we all know that the definition of pretentious is any person who makes the absurd claim that radiohead is the best band of all time. however, many other pretentious bastards make the same claim about belle and sebastien. since i'm none too fond of radiohead (or any band that pseudo-intellectual hipsters claim is better than the smiths), i thought i'd hate belle and sebastien. anyway, i was in a record store browsing the used cds (i have a used cd fetish) and "the boy with the arab strap" caught my eye. it was like 8 or 9 bucks, so i figured it'd be a relatively painless way to check out the band, and i must say i really really like the album. it has a very ethereal feel. i will be checking out more of their stuff, although there is no way in hell belle and sebastien will ever be better than the smiths or morrissey. what do you all think?

also, some of you may know that i put in some time in retail. the store has an ever-changing, mostly obnoxious soundtrack. however, one month, there were these two fabulous songs on it by this band i'd never heard of called bis. one was called "silver spoon" and the other was "protection." they had a great eighties feel. the first song in particular reminded me of vintage depeche mode. their albums are really hard to find in the states, so i kind of gave up. but i recently found their first album "the new transistor heroes" used and snatched it up. it's got a great new wave-y feel, but it's also very punky. it's colorful -- if music can be colorful. does anyone have an opinion on bis?

 

[joey]

the first three B&S albums and the first four EPs are great. the 4th album (although it does house a couple of gems) took a turn for the worse. so did the later EP/singles. better than the smiths? well they had good start but seem to be sputtering along now. oh, and by all means, steer clear of that soundtrack they did, "storytelling". keep in my that this is only my two cents and that you may enjoy their later stuff.

as for bis...they happened to be playing on the same stage as moz back at the cochella festival in 99. they were hopping around too micky-mouse-club for me to get into their music, sorry...

 

[3/4 Of A Person]

I really like Belle & Sebastian, especially the album you've mentioned, The Boy With The Arab Strap. The lyrics from the first couple of albums were fantastic, and If You're Feeling Sinister is fabulous. I agree that they have lost the plot a bit in recent times, though. If you like 'em, check out the Irish supergroup 'The Reindeer Section' (especially worth downloading: the song "You Are My Joy") which comprises members of B&S, Mogwai, and the Irish band Snow Patrol. They're fantastic. Better than The Smiths, though? Not even close. What impertinent little upstart would dare suggest such a thing.

 

[Sharron Needles]

B&S are one of my favorite bands. "The Boy With The Arab Strap" is great, but if you like them, you definitely must get "If You're Feeling Sinister" as well. I can't personaly decide between those two albums. I like them pretty equally. Their first, "Tigermilk," is great as well, as is "Fold Your Hands Child....." but each of those has a few songs I love. Interestingly enough, they just signed to Rough Trade a few months back, and are working on a new album. Isobel left the band earlier this year, which caused many people to feel that the band is done. I personaly like Sarah's voice better than Isobels, but hey, what do I know? "Storytelling" is slighly sub-par, yes, but I would recommend "Lazy Line Painter Jane" box set, "The Legal Man" ep, etc. I would keep the money you would spend on "Storytelling" and just download the best songs from Somehwhere: "Scooby Driver" and "Big John Shaft." Bis, I know nothing of. My friend likes them and I did not like them at all. Sorry.

 

[Librarian on Fire]

Have a look around for Bis's "Skinny Tie Sensual", it's on one of their early eps that came out around '93? They were loosly tagged to the Riot Girrl movement but never really belonged there. Miranda Rin I always thought is very cute. They've matured in sound and moved away from the tinny syth sound. "Eurodisco Nation" is quite a dance floor shuffler. They can at times be a little bit Mickey Mouse on helium sounding, but I like the lo-fi sound of 'em. Well done for spotting them.

As for B&S, I'm tired of people even mentioning them in the same breath as the Smiths. For many younger fans they believe B&S capture some essence of what being Smiths fan in the 80's was like. That's bunkum in my book. B&S are just a good band from Scotland, that's all.

 

[Ding]

Re: Radiohead is the best band ever, and Mindy is the most fatty moron.

 

[Rowdy Yeats]

I think Bis was doing music for Powderpuff Girls. I never got into them, but I knew a few people who liked them alot. So there you go.

I like B&S alot, and my fave album of theirs is 'Fold Yr Hands..', and i'm in the minority there. But all their stuff is good. I haven't heard that soundtrack thing they did, though.

And I like Radiohead alot. I do feel sorry for people who don't like them, as they are about the most hyped rock band on the planet these days.

 

[REGANIS Or wasregan]

Re:wake up girl!!!!

> okay so we all know that the definition of pretentious is any person who
> makes the absurd claim that radiohead is the best band of all time.
> however, many other pretentious bastards make the same claim about belle
> and sebastien. since i'm none too fond of radiohead (or any band that
> pseudo-intellectual hipsters claim is better than the smiths), i thought
> i'd hate belle and sebastien. anyway, i was in a record store browsing the
> used cds (i have a used cd fetish) and "the boy with the arab
> strap" caught my eye. it was like 8 or 9 bucks, so i figured it'd be
> a relatively painless way to check out the band, and i must say i really
> really like the album. it has a very ethereal feel. i will be checking out
> more of their stuff, although there is no way in hell belle and sebastien
> will ever be better than the smiths or morrissey. what do you all think?

> also, some of you may know that i put in some time in retail. the store
> has an ever-changing, mostly obnoxious soundtrack. however, one month,
> there were these two fabulous songs on it by this band i'd never heard of
> called bis. one was called "silver spoon" and the other was
> "protection." they had a great eighties feel. the first song in
> particular reminded me of vintage depeche mode. their albums are really
> hard to find in the states, so i kind of gave up. but i recently found
> their first album "the new transistor heroes" used and snatched
> it up. it's got a great new wave-y feel, but it's also very punky. it's
> colorful -- if music can be colorful. does anyone have an opinion on bis?

------------It took you this long to discover bella and sebastion where have you been you need to work a little harder at being cool or mabey it just wasnt ment to be.

 

[Mindy]

Re:wake up girl!!!!

sweetie, it's not like i'd never heard of belle and sebastian until now. i just assumed (wrongly) that they would be pretentious and annoying. furthermore, i do not think that i am cool. whatever gave you that idea, my child?

> ------------It took you this long to discover bella and sebastion where
> have you been you need to work a little harder at being cool or mabey it
> just wasnt ment to be.

 

[REGANIS Or wasregan]

Re:my grace at all its glory all for mindy.my love

> sweetie, it's not like i'd never heard of belle and sebastian until now. i
> just assumed (wrongly) that they would be pretentious and annoying.
> furthermore, i do not think that i am cool. whatever gave you that idea,
> my child?

-Yah i guess it was a pretty lame response, its just that sometimes i dont like you very much mindy i guess its just...um i dont know..im shy...ahhh oh yah i guess its just that i hate you.I didnt mean to be cruel now ive hurt my heart again sob im sorry mindy its just that...welll i love you yes thats it yes...no i cant lie i hate you my child......Or im just feeling well a special feeling in my pee pee!NO lord for heavens sake how crude and vulgar of me to say that,that was rather shocking now ive gone and blush all over i must need a cup of tea yes a cup of pee...Oh god did i say pee?for the love of all thats good i ment tea i asure you i ment tea!....so mindy i hope we can still be friends mabey ill have you over for a cup of pee sometime good night.,,,,,,i think i managed that very well didnt i mother...mother?no mother not again not this time mother!!!

 

[Sandy Duncan]

The art of record collecting and record collectors like Mindy

Okay, I don’t care much for Mindy. I’ve been silent up until now, but I really feel that now is the time to make myself heard.
Mindy is annoying. It’s as simple as that. I’d have to agree with an earlier thread in which she was called an attention-starved whore. The sad truth is that she probably comes to this forum because it’s a cheap excuse not to interact in the real world (where she fat and awkward).

That is all I have to say. Speaking up about this has made me feel better.

 

[david]

Eurodisco by Bis is a camp, cool pop song. Get it!

 

[Patrick McCann]

more of their stuff, although there is no way in hell belle and sebastien
> will ever be better than the smiths or morrissey. what do you all think?

> there were these two fabulous songs on it by this band i'd never heard of
> called bis. of vintage depeche mode.

Well, Belle and Sebastian and Bis are both scottish bands ( both from the glasgow area). Bis were hyped big-time around 1995 and I went to King Tut's Wah-Wah Hut in Glasgow to see them at that time. They were on tour with another up-and-coming band called the Super Furry Animals. The SFA were generally the headliners but they took the support slot in Bis's hometown gig.

Bis were all punky, happy, pogoie,smiley, poppy stuff. Which is good.They were also the first unsigned band to ever appear on Top Of The Pops with a song called Candy Pop. I kind of lost touch with their progress, but whenever I did hear anything by them it was always OK.

I agree largely with the comments about belle and s. Their early stuff is good. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see them until May 2002 in Toronto. They did a lot of stuff I didn't know ( Storytelling, I presume) which didn't sound great.

But no, nobody living or dead in the history of popular music has ever come close to the magnificence of Morrissey.

BTW, in reply to 3/4 of a person's comments, you'll find that the reindeer section are mostly scottish, since Mogwai are from Glasgow too. Thanks for the info about the movie 'sleuth' though. I'll check it out. But still, what is a pantry boy? Cheers. And a happy new year to everyone.

 

[Dorothy Hamill]

I have to agree.

> Okay, I don’t care much for Mindy. I’ve been silent up until now, but I
> really feel that now is the time to make myself heard.
> Mindy is annoying. It’s as simple as that. I’d have to agree with an
> earlier thread in which she was called an attention-starved whore. The sad
> truth is that she probably comes to this forum because it’s a cheap excuse
> not to interact in the real world (where she fat and awkward).

> That is all I have to say. Speaking up about this has made me feel better.

Mindy is a bore.

 

[3/4 Of A Person]

> more of their stuff, although there is no way in hell belle and sebastien

> Well, Belle and Sebastian and Bis are both scottish bands ( both from the
> glasgow area). Bis were hyped big-time around 1995 and I went to King
> Tut's Wah-Wah Hut in Glasgow to see them at that time. They were on tour
> with another up-and-coming band called the Super Furry Animals. The SFA
> were generally the headliners but they took the support slot in Bis's
> hometown gig.

> Bis were all punky, happy, pogoie,smiley, poppy stuff. Which is good.They
> were also the first unsigned band to ever appear on Top Of The Pops with a
> song called Candy Pop. I kind of lost touch with their progress, but
> whenever I did hear anything by them it was always OK.

> I agree largely with the comments about belle and s. Their early stuff is
> good. Unfortunately for me, I didn't see them until May 2002 in Toronto.
> They did a lot of stuff I didn't know ( Storytelling, I presume) which
> didn't sound great.

> But no, nobody living or dead in the history of popular music has ever
> come close to the magnificence of Morrissey.

> BTW, in reply to 3/4 of a person's comments, you'll find that the reindeer
> section are mostly scottish, since Mogwai are from Glasgow too. Thanks for
> the info about the movie 'sleuth' though. I'll check it out. But still,
> what is a pantry boy? Cheers. And a happy new year to everyone.

Sorry Patrick, I did realise that both Mogwai and B&S are Scottish, for some reason I had it in my head to type 'Irish' before 'supergroup' as well as Snow Patrol. Do excuse me. By the way, do you like Mogwai? Their album 'Rock Action' is quite good, innit? No problem about the 'Sleuth' thing either...and as for a pantry boy, well, it's a boy that works in a pantry. Like a servant, I'd imagine. Happy New Year.

 

[Patrick McCann]

Cheers 3/4,

I've read and heard much more OF Mogwai, than actually heard their stuff. I'm led to believe there's a lot of long instrumental stuff with hardly any lyrics. Is that right? If it is then I don't think I'd like it much.I'm heavily heavily HEAVILY into good lyrics (and plenty of them) hence my love of Moz. But correct me if I'm wrong. I've only maybe heard a track or two of theirs on the wireless. ( that's the radio to my younger readers.)

Bye now.

 

[david]

Mogwai's Dial:Revenge, with Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys on vocals, is superb and well worth downloading/buying.

 

[3/4 Of A Person]

> Cheers 3/4,

> I've read and heard much more OF Mogwai, than actually heard their stuff.
> I'm led to believe there's a lot of long instrumental stuff with hardly
> any lyrics. Is that right? If it is then I don't think I'd like it
> much.I'm heavily heavily HEAVILY into good lyrics (and plenty of them)
> hence my love of Moz. But correct me if I'm wrong. I've only maybe heard a
> track or two of theirs on the wireless. ( that's the radio to my younger
> readers.)

> Bye now.

I have to admit that 'Rock Action' is the only Mogwai album in my possession, but I do like it a lot. It's kind of heavy-ish indie rock, a touch like My Bloody Valentine. Yes, you're right about the lyrics, though- definitely not their forte - but their music is quite inventive at times and a lot better than most of the pretentious drivel that abounds nowadays.

 

[Patrick McCann]

> I have to admit that 'Rock Action' is the only Mogwai album in my
> possession, but I do like it a lot. It's kind of heavy-ish indie rock, a
> touch like My Bloody Valentine. Yes, you're right about the lyrics,
> though- definitely not their forte - but their music is quite inventive at
> times and a lot better than most of the pretentious drivel that abounds
> nowadays.
OK thanks, though I think I'll give them a miss. I need constant decent lyrics or I wither and die. And we don't want that now, do we?

 

[3/4 Of A Person]

That's understandable. Lyrics are probably the most important part to a song for me, too. Keep an eye out for 'em though, they may tickle your fancy one day.