POLLercoaster Ride - ILM Artist Poll #94 - Belle and Sebastian - Discussion/Campaigning Thread

"Coasting" probably isn't accurate, but I bet the poll results will show that most of the songs that resonate with fans happened before that. There are still some really well-written songs, but they're more of a fungible commodity in the post-Life-Pursuit era. That said, don't skip on checking out "Everything is now (part 2)".

Also, maybe it's just me, but I don't think that a single run through an album would give me a clear picture... my favorite tracks often end up being different than the ones I liked on the first pass.
(disclaimer: the first time I heard "The Loneliness of the Middle Distance Runner" I loved it immediately and haven't revised that opinion. so i guess sometimes it is dead obvious.)

I bet the poll results will show that most of the songs that resonate with fans happened before that.

Sure, but it's always pretty much impossible to tell whether this is just because those are the songs we heard when it was new and we were receptive, or some intrinsic quality in the songs. Can we please be objective? No, ha ha.

That said, don't skip on checking out "Everything is now (part 2)".

Yep – that and Fickle Season have found their way on to this old timer's ballot.

"Same Star" is my fave from those EPs, but I need to give em another crack before I vote.

Finished the discography now and beginning a final run-through before submission.

Girls in Peacetime really is terrific, so full of ideas - and good ones too - think it will find a place on my LPs ballot for sure.

Not impressed with How to Solve Our Human Problems though. Some tracks are quite novel-sounding, Cornflake in particular is one of the most unsettling, discordant things they've ever done, but it still sounds half-baked, just a seed that could possibly grow into something better. Other stuff - most of the third EP and Too Many Tears in particular - have this slick, characterless production which sucks all the life out of the songs, it's like the opposite of the church hall atmosphere they evoked early on.

"Same Star" is my fave from those EPs, but I need to give em another crack before I vote.

― resident hack (Simon H.), Tuesday, December 4, 2018 7:36 AM (seven hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm but again i love sarah martin

God damn I love the horn noodling in "I love my car"

I plan on voting in this, want to hear everything again first

feels like I could fill up a ballot with just the first and last tracks and title tracks from albums/EPs, so many of them are all-time great

Was reading this nytimes profile - learned that he credits a faith healer for part of his recovery, also that “Take Your Carriage Clock” was about Isobel?

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/28/magazine/28Murdoch-t.html

― JoeStork, Wednesday, November 28, 2018 5:08 PM (one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Forgot to say, thanks for this, led me down quite the rabbit hole of interviews. Think there could be a very good book (which probably shouldn't be written) about Stuart and Isobel's relationship and how it was reflected in the group's music from day one.

It'll be on the West End Stage before the decade is out.

I feel a bit bad for not including any Isobel songs in my ballot as I'm fond of It Wicked Not to Care? and Family Twee, but seeing as I've just shoved out Slow Graffiti it's a cruel world.

Talking of non-Stuart songs, my relistening has given me new respect for Chickfactor. I always dismissed it as a cringeworthy wide-eyed ‘wow, America’s so cool’ what i did on my holidays but now I hear it as an effective psychological portrait of feeling disoriented by keeping life back home in mind.

As long as he doesn't direct a film about it. (xp)

voted, ended up with the entirety of IYFS in my top 30, that album is just too solid

I had two IYFS tracks in my 30, one only just made it. Four Tigermilk tracks in my top ten.

My first Tigermilk track comes after 6 IYFS tracks.

Submitted!

Some perhaps slept-on tracks to consider (or which at least don't seem to have been discussed here) - Expectations from Tigermilk (obvious one, but I fear it might get left out), title track of Dear Catastrophe Waitress, Black and White Unite from Storytelling, and Suicide Girl, which is a bonus track from Write About Love.

Might throw a vote to the title track from "God Help the Girl." in its original recording from the pre-film album. Incredible string arrangement on that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAZOmYUh6wY

Reading that Times interview, this popped out:

“We lost a lot of the original fans when I stopped being miserable,” Murdoch told me recently.

But you know what? I never thought of this band as particularly miserable, certainly nowhere near the morose melancholia of Morrissey or especially Nick Drake (both referenced in the piece). There are definitely sad B&S songs, but the music is always so warm and welcoming and pretty that it's not exactly mired in misery. Stuff like (for example) Elliott Smith or Low, sure, I can see why people might be drawn to that music for its often strikingly raw bad vibes, but B&S to my ears has always been about as miserable as Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts theme.

I really like the title track of God Help the Girl, too. Couldn't squeeze it in, though.

How many ballots does it look like we might end up with?

Going through the catalogue has made me realise that I like Stuart's songs best when he sounds defeated, sad or just fatigued. I am a monster.

My ballot's in. Heavily weighted towards the early stuff, sorry. This poll made me listen to a lot of the last decade's material that I haven't really engaged with. And it's really good. But it just doesn't break through the wall of affection and awe I feel for the older records.

There are definitely sad B&S songs, but the music is always so warm and welcoming and pretty that it's not exactly mired in misery.

But maybe that's exactly the point, songs about joy and beauty are only truly compelling when the person writing and singing is secretly miserable

But maybe that's exactly the point, songs about joy and beauty are only truly compelling when the person writing and singing is secretly miserable

otm!! "i'm lucky i can open the door and i can walk down the street" set to the perkiest music imaginable

I had two IYFS tracks in my 30, one only just made it. Four Tigermilk tracks in my top ten.

― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Wednesday, December 5, 2018 7:24 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

same ratio, more spread out

the barman singles ran away with my tracks list ofc

It's funny how tracks creep up on you. A week ago I didn't think I was going to include Put the Book Back on the Shelf but now it's completely essential and top half. The Songs for Children bit definitely helps.

I've already submitted so please stop posting names of songs I couldn't fit on there, it hurts me

We're really sorry for all the trouble we've caused.

It's funny how tracks creep up on you. A week ago I didn't think I was going to include Put the Book Back on the Shelf but now it's completely essential and top half. The Songs for Children bit definitely helps.

― Alba, Wednesday, December 5, 2018 10:22 AM

the whole 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light EP is awesome!

So pretty happy with my submitted ballot. The first 24 aren't going to change between now and poll reveal. The final 6 could switch out interchangeably with about ten other tracks and I'd still be happy enough.

I think the top three I voted for are nailed on to make it, my fourth might not though!

the whole 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light EP is awesome!

It really is! I considered putting three of the tracks on (never really liked the chorus of Beautiful so that one was out)

no "beautiful" is perfect!!!!!

Actually I don't even know if it's the chorus. I mean the 'beautiful only slightly mental' bit. And I don't much like it when SM does pat A-B rhymes like ill/pill, photography/pornography, and the orthopaedic shoes/fashion blues line really makes me wince.

But the "if you knew what's going on in her life" key change is lovely

sent my ballot!

And I don't much like it when SM does pat A-B rhymes like ill/pill, photography/pornography, and the orthopaedic shoes/fashion blues line really makes me wince.

he does it constantly! she had the knowledge to get her into college!

I know – it's quite bad. Maybe I don't like this band after all.

lol

I mean..

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/dec/05/belle-and-sebastian-indie-music-cruise-stuart-murdoch-plans-festival-at-sea-next-summer

Turns out the best way to listen to the Human Problems stuff is while doing data entry. Got a whole bunch of ballots overnight [GMT+10], and nearly every track is working for me now.

That's 20 ballots so far and... *checks again* 110 distinct tracks selected.

Through throwing myself into their catalog for this poll, I appreciate B&S way more than I did before. For years, I thought that If You're Feeling Sinister and Dear Catastrophe Waitress were all I needed from them - I still think those are the peaks of the two eras, but there's a lot of great songs scattered throughout the other albums. Even some songs I wrote off suddenly have an appeal they didn't before

I appreciate how "This is Just a Modern Love Song" builds.

This listening process has focused and dispelled a lot of ideas I'd had about B&S. First, that Murdoch is a martinet of a leader. There's a lot of push-and-pull and collaboration, and there's been less turnover in the band than I figured. On the one hand you've got songs (mostly earlier, but Nobody's Empire is a shining example) that focus on a Murdoch melody and his emotional buy-in (the "the very best songs, being ones important to the songwriter" songs). But rave ups like "Legal Man", where he disappears into the collective vision of the band are just as satisfying. There's some clumsy experiments that speak to less self-awareness, less irony that I took from them 20 years ago. And while the top 15 songs or so were easy for me to pick out, there's easily another 40 just a step below, with very bright spots on records I dismissed at the time.

I think you nailed it, really. On a song by song basis most of the band's output has been solid at least, exemplary at best. But in an album context even many of those solid songs don't always come off as well as they might have on, say, stuck on a b-sides comp.

Oh lord, thought I would do a one-time listen through Girls in Peacetime and see if anything jumped out before submitting - but it's too good! there's like three or four tracks I could see making my ballot, I need more time with this album

yeah, was my experience too

this time through The Party Line, The Cat with the Cream, and Today (This Army's for Peace) stood out, also Enter Sylvia Plath and The Everlasting Muse

Enter Sylvia Plath was the biggest one for me, like a lost Abba song or something

also, as mentioned multiple times above, Play for Today is great

Is this still due on Dec 10 or is it possible to push it back? They have many more ballot-worthy songs than I remembered.

i'm glad everyone loves my new favorite belle and sebastian album girls in peacetime want to dance

wish i could've found room for "power of three" on my ballot, that song is just gorgeous

Yeah that song is really nice too. I think Sarah's vocals have gotten noticeably better every record