Ailsa, I believe you're the one who first suggested that B&S, despite their obvious talent, have this habit of encouraging their fans' worst traits. Once (when I was a wee lad of, oh, OK, I was already 30), I disagreed vehemently. Now I see it as an impediment to my overall enjoyment of the band.
― we wanted lime (mike a), Wednesday, 11 August 2010 23:06 (thirteen years ago) link
just be thankful none of their fans get their knitting out during a gig ;)
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 11 August 2010 23:12 (thirteen years ago) link
but... what do we write about when we write about love
― glitter hands! glitter hands! razzle! dazzle! (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 11 August 2010 23:15 (thirteen years ago) link
i saw a pre-show knitter at the jackson browne show the other week. didn't seem like such a bad idea!
― hobbes, Wednesday, 11 August 2010 23:17 (thirteen years ago) link
Writing about love is like dreaming about horses.
― Hideous Lump, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:02 (thirteen years ago) link
― we wanted lime (mike a), Wednesday, August 11, 2010 7:06 PM (59 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
what the hell does this mean
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:06 (thirteen years ago) link
it means he agrees with her now
― kshighway61 revisited (electricsound), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:10 (thirteen years ago) link
ok i understand that but i don't think i understand anything about the rest of it
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:11 (thirteen years ago) link
have you met any B&S fans?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:16 (thirteen years ago) link
have i met people who like one of the most popular indie bands of the last 15 years? sure have.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:18 (thirteen years ago) link
Have any of them been the ultra twee insufferably cutesie types?
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:21 (thirteen years ago) link
no
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:21 (thirteen years ago) link
i've never been *quite* sure why this type of fan elicits such negative responses, unless it has something to do with the alleged wimpiness factor?
― ('_') (omar little), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:21 (thirteen years ago) link
so B&S thinks the things that might have worked back in 1996, will work again in 2010?someone is naive - the band, the fans or both of them.
― Zeno, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:22 (thirteen years ago) link
i don't know, is this just a problem in the uk or something? the twee stereotype is so fucking played and despite having met a million hipsters of various stripes i have found no one who actually fulfills it.
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:23 (thirteen years ago) link
do b&s fans from '96 still like the '10 version of the band?
i thot they all listened to very truly yours and the motifs these days
― kshighway61 revisited (electricsound), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:24 (thirteen years ago) link
Quite possibly? It certainly does exist in Glasgow.xp
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:24 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYzVMcgWhg
neil hannon's finest moment tbh.
― Spikey, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:25 (thirteen years ago) link
I've nothing against them per se, but I can see how they would be annoying if you came across them a lot.
― pfunkboy (Herman G. Neuname), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:25 (thirteen years ago) link
btw this write the album title and take a picture thing if done by any other band would be treated as a straightforward viral marketing thing--like, welcome to 2010 fellas
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:26 (thirteen years ago) link
no and noxpost to electricsound
― Zeno, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:26 (thirteen years ago) link
i can't really think of a single popular band that doesn't end up encouraging the worst traits of their hardcore fans
― ('_') (omar little), Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:26 (thirteen years ago) link
in other words, annoying people are annoying
― call all destroyer, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:27 (thirteen years ago) link
wtf is rong with people who knit - winter isn't that far away and the tories are making everything, presumably including heating, uber expensive
― a hoy hoy, Thursday, 12 August 2010 00:59 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh man. This thread wins because someone posted the My Lovely Horse clip. <3 <3 <3.
― o sh!t a ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ (ENBB), Thursday, 12 August 2010 01:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Okay we just need BeeOK for the full set I think
haha, i got nothin'
― Bee OK, Thursday, 12 August 2010 02:41 (thirteen years ago) link
excited about this, can't wait for new stuff
― Bee OK, Thursday, 12 August 2010 02:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Well, I was a huge fan in '96 and will still stan for the first four albums hardcore. Wasn't as big a fan of the last two but saw them when they toured for both those albums and they were incredible live.
BTW, I have no idea who those two bands you mentioned are and I don't think I'm one of the annoying twee types people are talking about although I have met some and yes, they were British.
― o sh!t a ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ (ENBB), Thursday, 12 August 2010 02:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh and I've already bought tickets to see them in October so I guess I'll probably buy this album eventually so I'm not totally in the dark.
i liked the last few albums and i'm excited for this one. not like jumping out of my chair excited, but b&s don't really inspire much in me besides quiet muted happiness
― Mordy, Thursday, 12 August 2010 02:49 (thirteen years ago) link
i'm standing up out of my chair, going to the liquor cabinet and making myself a nice drink excited.
― the disappearance of apollo creed (s1ocki), Thursday, 12 August 2010 02:55 (thirteen years ago) link
We'll see. There's a lot to like in both Dear Catastrophe Waitress and Life Pursuit and the new one will probably be similar, if also probably a few steps down the path to shinier/more compressed/more poppy. I don't need the angsty twee of the first few all the time but they will always be my favorites.
― skip, Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:05 (thirteen years ago) link
take away the lyrics and you can't really call the first 3 albums angsty twee. then you are just left with a lot of top notch music
lyrics mean close to nil with me (except poignantly awkward or bad lyrics which annoy me when they appear in otherwise great songs). I much prefer vocal lines (rhythm and harmony), tone of voice, and everything else about the vocals than the actual lyrics. (however I do strongly prefer to listen to singing in my native language)
― you doesn't hasta call me johnson (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:14 (thirteen years ago) link
don't disagree with any of that, which is probably a major reason this band is a favorite.
― skip, Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:19 (thirteen years ago) link
speaking of fans, are there still pop art retro art movie 60's girls like the one on the real cover? i never see any anymore. they might all work in vintage clothing stores though and i don't frequent those. the cover says: we are going back to our worshipping 80's people who worshipped people from the 60's roots, man! which is cool. someone needs to take a stand. i thought they had gotten more modern recently. i liked that waitress album! i'd never really listened to them before that. probably cuz i still listen to old school twee.
― scott seward, Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:42 (thirteen years ago) link
are there still pop art retro art movie 60's girls like the one on the real cover?
there are def some around my town
― kshighway61 revisited (electricsound), Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:43 (thirteen years ago) link
every couple of years i see a mod. on a scooter! warms my heart.
― scott seward, Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:46 (thirteen years ago) link
every few years when i lived in philadelphia i would see a roving band of skinheads! for real! they would be drunk and throw things at old ladies and kick dogs or whatever. so cool! i have no idea where they came from. just passing through.
― scott seward, Thursday, 12 August 2010 04:48 (thirteen years ago) link
have nostalgic feelings about getting into a hardman staredown/near fight with gross philly proles at a B&S show once upon a time. fuckers...
― a CRASBO is a "criminally related" ASBO (contenderizer), Thursday, 12 August 2010 05:17 (thirteen years ago) link
the famous philly thing is they cancelled their very first show there! it was a VERY big deal, i'll have you know. everyone was waiting for them to go on, but penelope or someone had the sniffles and they couldn't go on. they played like a year later or something for everyone who came that night. or something like that. many twee tears shed that night! many damp sweaters.
― scott seward, Thursday, 12 August 2010 05:21 (thirteen years ago) link
this must have been at their fifth philly show or something, like 2005. no big deal. was kinda itching for bloodshed tbh, cuz i busted my knuckles at a belle & sebastian show would have been a good story. but nothing came to pass.
― a CRASBO is a "criminally related" ASBO (contenderizer), Thursday, 12 August 2010 05:44 (thirteen years ago) link
LOL at "Penelope or someone had the sniffles"
The girl on the cover is in a Glasgow band called "Zoey von Goey" that S. Murdoch produced.
― Becky Facelift, Thursday, 12 August 2010 07:44 (thirteen years ago) link
the boy with the arab strap is classic; the eps preceding it are mostly classic as well. it's just pop/rock music, guys, no need to wind yourselves into a tizzy. fold your hands is 2/3rds dogshit but dear catastrophe waitress truly surprised me w/its greatness so i am very much interested in hearing this new one.
― hobbes, Thursday, 12 August 2010 07:55 (thirteen years ago) link
"it's just pop/rock music, guys, no need to wind yourselves into a tizzy."
^^^^ totally. In fact when I heard them for the first time the thing that grabbed me was how Lazy Line Painter Jane channelled the Velvets Live 1969 sound.
That said, I reckon they peaked with Tigermilk and the first 3 eps. It's been steadily diminishing returns ever since.
― Officer Pupp, Thursday, 12 August 2010 08:26 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, DCW is my favourite overall, though I just couldn't get into TLP and that God Help the Girl thing. So, I'm not exactly clamouring for the newie. Just hope it's a Return To Form yo.
I've only seen B&S live once, and some of the audience were the most obnoxious people.
― Born too beguiled (DavidM), Thursday, 12 August 2010 08:31 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't think I'm one of the annoying twee types people are talking about although I have met some and yes, they were British.― o sh!t a ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ (ENBB), Thursday, August 12, 2010 3:48 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark
― o sh!t a ˁ˚ᴥ˚ˀ (ENBB), Thursday, August 12, 2010 3:48 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark
LOL
― unchill english bro (history mayne), Thursday, 12 August 2010 08:35 (thirteen years ago) link
I thought DCW and Life Pursuit were both great, so I'm stoked for this.
― scott pgwp (pgwp), Thursday, 12 August 2010 10:48 (thirteen years ago) link
Hooray for B&W brunette hipster woman on the sleeve. Murdo's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
― PaulTMA, Thursday, 12 August 2010 12:09 (thirteen years ago) link
stuart murdah
― the disappearance of apollo creed (s1ocki), Thursday, 12 August 2010 13:31 (thirteen years ago) link
didn't like life pursuit at all but loved waitress. of course I'll listen to this, and I'm seeing them live as well (but only because they're playing the treasure island fest with other bands I want to see).
― akm, Thursday, 12 August 2010 13:33 (thirteen years ago) link
They were on Jimmy Fallon last night. With Questlove drumming!
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Thursday, 30 September 2010 14:41 (thirteen years ago) link
they did "write about love". it didn't sound any better live
― I'm a Grizzily Bear Now (CaptainLorax), Friday, 1 October 2010 23:17 (thirteen years ago) link
here it is:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6Cg2eOHPVk
― Bee OK, Saturday, 2 October 2010 02:26 (thirteen years ago) link
"Write About Love"'s beginning nicks the Byrds' "The World Turns All Around Her."
― Cunga, Monday, 4 October 2010 08:06 (thirteen years ago) link
I really like "I Want the World to Stop"
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Thursday, 7 October 2010 18:42 (thirteen years ago) link
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/10/06/130382972/belle-and-sebastian-s-business-plan-a-taqueria-in-glasgow
rock stardom w/ murdoch- a road bike and a tacqueria.
― my stomach is full of anger. and pie. (Hunt3r), Thursday, 7 October 2010 19:14 (thirteen years ago) link
He's been talking about opening up that taqueria for years. I think it's just a pipe dream.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Thursday, 7 October 2010 19:29 (thirteen years ago) link
The first few tracks are quite decent and then it flatlines big time.
― skip, Tuesday, September 21, 2010 9:29 AM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
Yep. Only a couple memorable tracks, and they're both before the 15-minute mark. The guest spots add basically nothing.
The problem is the songwriting; it's in line with what Murdoch gave us on the God Help The Girl project, which is to say it's extremely bland. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the drop in quality, considering The Life Pursuit was the best thing he'd done in a decade.
― Indexed, Thursday, 7 October 2010 19:59 (thirteen years ago) link
belle and sebastian write about YOU.
times are gettin' tough out there in need-someone-to-actually-pay-for-music land.
― a tenth level which features a single castle (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 7 October 2010 21:02 (thirteen years ago) link
Gotta be honest, I thought this would finally be the one where P4k turns on them, but I guess not.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Monday, 11 October 2010 05:56 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm a dedicated fan, but this isn't deserving of an 8.2 at all....I fear they may have become one of Pitchfork's select infallible few, that will get strong reviews no matter what.
― Tim. E "LazRus" Lucas (Prose b4 Hoes...and Big Hoos), Monday, 11 October 2010 06:31 (thirteen years ago) link
still apologising for The Boy with the Arab Strap
― Spikey, Monday, 11 October 2010 06:50 (thirteen years ago) link
i really like that one that sounds like 'knives out' by radiohead.
― HOOS' THE BOSS (ken c), Monday, 11 October 2010 15:47 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm currently listening to the one that sounds like the overture from The Who's Tommy
― Cunga, Monday, 11 October 2010 20:40 (thirteen years ago) link
kinda dig "I Didn't See It Coming" -- that's the only thing I've heard off of this so far.
― tylerw, Monday, 11 October 2010 20:41 (thirteen years ago) link
on the first few listens, I actually really like this! Also, the songs from it they play live work really well.
― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Friday, 15 October 2010 05:56 (thirteen years ago) link
I wonder whether I should never hear this and continue forever to imagine it's very good.
― the pinefox, Saturday, 16 October 2010 13:20 (thirteen years ago) link
it's better than life pursuit which i hated. saw them live last night, new songs were all really good live. nice return to form. at this point Ijust expect b&s to play their instruments very well and in a very stylized fashion and not be awful, and this succeeds.
― akm, Monday, 18 October 2010 14:11 (thirteen years ago) link
liked that the stevie song rips off lyrics from lady sov.
― HOOS' THE BOSS (ken c), Monday, 18 October 2010 15:53 (thirteen years ago) link
I like this record quite a bit; it's really by-the-numbers but at least it isn't bad like Life Pursuit.
― akm, Thursday, 2 December 2010 18:15 (thirteen years ago) link
Everett True Non-Review
― Gukbe, Wednesday, 15 December 2010 07:51 (thirteen years ago) link
Sundays Pretty Icons (the closing track) is a wonderful song
― Daniel Giraffe, Sunday, 23 January 2011 22:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Richard X remix of "I Didn't See It Coming"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZlcS50qzw&feature=youtu.be
― Gukbe, Friday, 17 June 2011 16:17 (twelve years ago) link
Bob Stanley should sue.
― everything, Friday, 17 June 2011 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
Listening to this album for the first time in a long time and it’s not nearly as disappointing as I recall it being at the time. No, it’s not among their best work but the drop-off in quality is not as steep as I remember it being. Most of the first half is really great. The Norah Jones duet is still a bit of a low point (not because of her, it’s just a little sappier and on the nose than typical B&S). The second half of the album is not bad at all, it’s just a bit average for a band 15 years intro their career.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Sunday, 12 September 2021 15:29 (two years ago) link
Don't really care for this album but 'I Didn't See It Coming' is a favourite, one brilliant track is more than you get on most albums.
― edited to reflect developments which occurred (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Sunday, 12 September 2021 15:41 (two years ago) link
"Come On Sister" is as good as any of the good songs on the first 3LP/4EP golden era.
This whole run is some of Stuart at his most melodically daring:
"Don't touch meIf you touch me you could never go backFaithCome on, sister have a drinkHave a seat at the barTell me all about your menAnd your hopesAnd the hours of your life"
When I was on tw@tter ages ago, Stuart tweeted that he forgot how to play the song and he had to watch this youtube cover (the only cover of it on youtube) to relearn it and he was really impressed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ7N69Iikoo
― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Friday, 12 May 2023 03:48 (one year ago) link
seconding that. easily the highlight of this album + one of their best.
― my beard exists more than i do. (Austin), Friday, 12 May 2023 04:15 (one year ago) link
my fav on this album is 'write about love'
― johnny crunch, Friday, 12 May 2023 11:13 (one year ago) link