belle & sebastian

[Mindy]

this is the second time i've started a thread about this band, but i just wanted to say that i've listened to three of their albums (a significant chunk of their canon -- i still need tigermilk and the soundtrack to storytelling and i can't get over how good "the boy with the arab strap" is. everyone says that "if you're feeling sinister" is the best, but i adore TBWTAS. it's so lush and dreamy and i love the spoken word track "a space boy dream" because i love scottish accents. "sleep the clock around" is also one of the catchiest songs i've ever heard. anyway, i think this is a brilliant, brilliant album and definiely my favorite b & s album.

what is the consensus?

 

[Mindy]

definitely -- gotta stop sniffing that ajax.

oh well, nobody's perfect -- except maybe morrissey.

 

[WolvesWillTearUsApart]

> this is the second time i've started a thread about this band, but i just
> wanted to say that i've listened to three of their albums (a significant
> chunk of their canon -- i still need tigermilk and the soundtrack to
> storytelling and i can't get over how good "the boy with the arab
> strap" is. everyone says that "if you're feeling sinister"
> is the best, but i adore TBWTAS. it's so lush and dreamy and i love the
> spoken word track "a space boy dream" because i love scottish
> accents. "sleep the clock around" is also one of the catchiest
> songs i've ever heard. anyway, i think this is a brilliant, brilliant
> album and definiely my favorite b & s album.

> what is the consensus?

come on...nothing on boy with can touch, get me away from here im dying.

 

[Johnny]

> this is the second time i've started a thread about this band, but i just
> wanted to say that i've listened to three of their albums (a significant
> chunk of their canon -- i still need tigermilk and the soundtrack to
> storytelling and i can't get over how good "the boy with the arab
> strap" is. everyone says that "if you're feeling sinister"
> is the best, but i adore TBWTAS. it's so lush and dreamy and i love the
> spoken word track "a space boy dream" because i love scottish
> accents. "sleep the clock around" is also one of the catchiest
> songs i've ever heard. anyway, i think this is a brilliant, brilliant
> album and definiely my favorite b & s album.

> what is the consensus?

Their a good band Mindy.I think "Tigermilk" and "TBWTAS" are excellent."Fold Your Hands Child" is probably a bit weaker.
If you like the band then I would advise you checkout the singles.I have a few of these on 12" singles(yes that format still exists !)."Dog on Wheels" comes with 4 tracks and includes a much better version of "The State I am In" than was released on "Tigermilk".It also includes 3 other tacks.
"Lazy Line Painter Jane" also contains 4 quality tracks.
If I had to single out one though I would plump for "This Is Just A Modern Love Song". Probably the pinacle of their recording career so far.
Again it comes with 4 tracks. I cannot remember the exact timings on this record but I think it clocks in at about 22 minutes of music on a single! It's played at 33 1/3 RPM.
It was so long that B + B were told it was too long to be eligible to be included in the British singles chart.
To the bands credit they wee happy to release it as it stood without dropping a track.
Live they can be a bit painful and pretentious.It takes them ages to tune up between songs and they never really acknowledge their fans.
I've met a few of the band in "The 13th Note" in Glasgow and like all Scots they are very down to earth and approachable

They are NOT the best band from this country though, That mantle belongs to Mogwai.

 

[Mindy]

cool, thanks for the advice. i'm totally lame about singles. i think a lot of us youngsters are. i guess it's because most of the bands that were really popular when i was growing up culled almost all of their singles from their proper albums and i didn't see the point of buying the same songs twice, b-sides be damned. i don't think i knew was a b-side was until i got into the smashing pumpkins when i was around 13. anyway, enough of my life story.

what other scottish bands would you recommend? i have had a mild scottish obsession for a few years now and like several scottish bands (as well as having a major irvine welsh fetish).

 

[Johnny]

> cool, thanks for the advice. i'm totally lame about singles. i think a lot
> of us youngsters are. i guess it's because most of the bands that were
> really popular when i was growing up culled almost all of their singles
> from their proper albums and i didn't see the point of buying the same
> songs twice, b-sides be damned. i don't think i knew was a b-side was
> until i got into the smashing pumpkins when i was around 13. anyway,
> enough of my life story.

> what other scottish bands would you recommend? i have had a mild scottish
> obsession for a few years now and like several scottish bands (as well as
> having a major irvine welsh fetish).

Jesus ! Irvine Welsh was a complete head case Mindy. He was one of a band of VERY violent football hooligans who followed Hibs Football Club.
You could say the boy did good.Scottish bands are by and large ignored.The Btitish music scene revolves around third rate bands in London and the South East.It was very rare for a music journalist to travel further north than Manchester or Liverpool as I know from experience.
That situation remains the same today so Scottish bands are very insular and tend to release alot of stuff on their own label.The "Chemical Underground" label being a prime example.

At the moment I would have to "Ballboy" are the new Scottish hopes. They are favourites of John Peel who featured them in his "Festive 50" at Xmas.
The Delgados are a superb band. Really worthwhile listening to."Arab Strap" are also worth a listen to.They and "Belle + Sebastian" were fiends and label mates and then had a major falling out(hence the tongue in cheek name and reference to them on "TBWTAS"
There are lots more but as I say their main problem is attracting London A&R men over the border.
Irvive welsh is a good writer but really Scottish literature is on the crest of a wave at the moment and he is nowhere near the top.
Try any of the followingAlan Warner,Janice Galloway,A.L Kennedy,Tom Leonard, James Kellman(much better than Welsh),Iain Banks,Lewis Grasic Gibbon,Ian Rankin ,Muriel Spark and Alasdair Gray.
ALL top class writers

 

[California Will Kill Us All]

that's quite gay

belle&sebastian are just another whiny indie band from britain. too many of those these days.

 

[Johnny]

Re: that's quite gay

> belle&sebastian are just another whiny indie band from britain. too many
> of those these days.

No your right. We are better off with the 3rd rate metal bands from the States.
Nice subject "that's qite gay", This is a MORRISSEY site. Not Def Leppard,you may even recognise the sexuality of who this site is dedicated to. Idiot.

 

[California Will Kill Us All]

Re: that's quite gay

dont be so aggressive, it aint my fault you are such a f*****.

 

[Johnny]

Re: that's quite gay

> dont be so aggressive, it aint my fault you are such a f*****.

Wrong again. It's not really your day is it ?. Enjoy target practice.

 

[Mindy]

when will that punk accept himself?

don't you love closeted gays who are so insecure and confused about themselves that they have to go around calling everyone else gay?

there's no shame whatsoever in being gay.

 

[david]

Re: when will that punk accept himself?

> don't you love closeted gays who are so insecure and confused about
> themselves that they have to go around calling everyone else gay?

> there's no shame whatsoever in being gay.

I have gay friends and when they piss me off I enjoy calling them "you straight bastard" or "you f***ing hetero." I don't know why I'm putting this, but I'm in a wieeeerd mood...

 

[Johnny]

Re: when will that punk accept himself?

> don't you love closeted gays who are so insecure and confused about
> themselves that they have to go around calling everyone else gay?

> there's no shame whatsoever in being gay.

A bit sad really in this day and age but there you go! My girlfriend thought it was hilarious so at least some good has come of it

 

[WolvesWillTearUsApart]

Re: when will that punk accept himself?

> A bit sad really in this day and age but there you go! My girlfriend
> thought it was hilarious so at least some good has come of it

how did you get a girlfriend?.....she isnt full of air and have a funny O shaped mouth? does she?

 

[Patrick McCann]

> cool, thanks for the advice. i'm totally lame about singles. i think a lot
> of us youngsters are. i guess it's because most of the bands that were
> really popular when i was growing up culled almost all of their singles
> from their proper albums and i didn't see the point of buying the same
> songs twice, b-sides be damned. i don't think i knew was a b-side was
> until i got into the smashing pumpkins when i was around 13. anyway,
> enough of my life story.

> what other scottish bands would you recommend? i have had a mild scottish
> obsession for a few years now and like several scottish bands (as well as
> having a major irvine welsh fetish).

hey Mindy, forget about us scottish guys

Well, y'know kid, you've got your whole life in front of you.
Don't waste it on us , kid.
Reach for the stars!!!!!
Don't pursue your scottish fetisch.

Hell, the problems we have don't amount to a hill o' beans in this crazy world

But one CD you should hear
'You Can't Hide Your Love Forever' by Orange Juice.
A brilliant pre-smiths glasgow band.

 

[david]

if you like B & S

then get everything by Super Furry Animals..way better!

 

[California Will Kill Us All]

Re: when will that punk accept himself?

you would say that

 

[Wonderful Woman]

I've seen them live last year at the Benicassim festival and they were AMAZING!!!
One of the best performance out of all at the Festival!!!

Very relaxed and enthusiastic.. Really happy to be there and playing with the crowd....

 

[Listen To Me]

Re: if you like B & S

you also might like The Clientele .

 

[Patrick McCann]

> I've seen them live last year at the Benicassim festival and they were
> AMAZING!!!
> One of the best performance out of all at the Festival!!!

> Very relaxed and enthusiastic.. Really happy to be there and playing with
> the crowd....

I saw them in Toronto last May and I have to say they weren't very good live.