I phrased that incorrectly: I meant 'attentional to detail', and (quite sepearate from this) an amateurishness in the recordings. It's the former that's lacking on DCW. Affecting the latter, I agree, is irritating ... although the Razorcuts are exempt in my book ;-)
― Jez (Jez), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:17 (seventeen years ago) link
u jokin' right?
they covered "whiskey in the jar" as a b-side to a single off tlp, forget which one.
― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:21 (seventeen years ago) link
no I ain't!
like I said..I never cared enough. B&S fans and my x's have that on me...
― J. Grizzle (trainsmoke), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:29 (seventeen years ago) link
― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:32 (seventeen years ago) link
― J. Grizzle (trainsmoke), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:42 (seventeen years ago) link
DCW is a better album, btw -- it retains their charm in the midst of the stepped-up production.
― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:51 (seventeen years ago) link
"sukie in the graveyard" = Stu Murdoch definitively convincing himself that he is Marc Bolan incarnate
― J. Grizzle (trainsmoke), Thursday, 11 January 2007 16:59 (seventeen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 11 January 2007 17:03 (seventeen years ago) link
you REALLY should listen again, jay
― marc h. (marc h.), Thursday, 11 January 2007 18:43 (seventeen years ago) link
Now, I'm sure I'll eventually get over my distaste for the performance, and the record is certainly pleasant enough. But no matter how much I'm willing to forgive, it'll ever be any more than that. The early records have a deep, honest ache and beauty that can't be pinned entirely to "amateurishness" and which B&S haven't touched in a long, long time. (Plus better tunes.)
― Adam Beales (Pye Poudre), Thursday, 11 January 2007 19:06 (seventeen years ago) link
Huzzah!
― J. Grizzle (trainsmoke), Thursday, 11 January 2007 19:14 (seventeen years ago) link
I have a feeling this sentence is the more relevant one. Sad, really.
― marc h. (marc h.), Thursday, 11 January 2007 19:27 (seventeen years ago) link
Still, the only part of the show that felt alive was when they hauled one of the adoring (sufferable, less than hideous) up on stage to duet with Stuart. She stole the show in a heartbeat. Made the actual band look like shabbily constructed androids.
― Adam Beales (Pye Poudre), Thursday, 11 January 2007 19:47 (seventeen years ago) link
I'm just listening to the Life Pursuit for the first time, and it's totally great! I was one of those people that thought they're discography was all diminishing returns. But I really like this! I wonder how it's going to hold up.
― Billy Pilgrim, Friday, 9 November 2007 04:17 (sixteen years ago) link
*their*
― Billy Pilgrim, Friday, 9 November 2007 04:18 (sixteen years ago) link
it's just occurred to me that TLP is the only belle and sebastian record i don't have.
it's also occurred to me i have too many B&S records considering i never listen to any of them
― electricsound, Friday, 9 November 2007 04:39 (sixteen years ago) link
Until today I could have typed the exact same thing. And I still do, except now I have TLP, and I'll definitely be listening to it again! Hardcore B&S fans must be shaking their heads...
― Billy Pilgrim, Friday, 9 November 2007 05:38 (sixteen years ago) link
oh marc hogan how could i say no to you
― jaymc, Friday, 9 November 2007 07:11 (sixteen years ago) link
to answer the original question i don't get it either. especially seeing as IF SHE WANTS ME is their best ever song.
― pisces, Friday, 9 November 2007 14:36 (sixteen years ago) link
dom passantweemo
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 9 November 2007 14:37 (sixteen years ago) link
Yeah, one thing I've never been known for is my love of twee pop, huh?
― Dom Passantino, Friday, 9 November 2007 14:37 (sixteen years ago) link
Who are these people that prefer "The Life Pursuit" listening to Belle & Sebastian to "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" dying a slow, painful death, and why?
― stephen, Friday, 9 November 2007 15:31 (sixteen years ago) link
lol you like depeche mode
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 9 November 2007 15:32 (sixteen years ago) link
I would be more distressed if people preferred The Life Pursuit to B&S's first 3 full-length albums.
― CaptainLorax, Friday, 9 November 2007 20:43 (sixteen years ago) link
it kills boy with the arab strap though.
― tremendoid, Friday, 9 November 2007 20:58 (sixteen years ago) link
Personally I think DCW is one of Belle & Sebastian's very best. Not quite as good as Sinister or the 1997 EPs, but closer than you'd think. The Life Pursuit lacks DCW's graceful production and songwriting, but there's a lot of good on it anyway.
― mike a, Friday, 9 November 2007 21:03 (sixteen years ago) link
I have a hunch that the movie/musical Stuart Murdoch is working on is going to be awesome. Also, I listen to The Life Pursuit more often than any other B&S album aside from Tigermilk. Most of the songs on TLP are pastiches, but they're exceptionally good ones.
― Emily S., Friday, 9 November 2007 21:16 (sixteen years ago) link
lets agree to disagree, but you were wrong about arab strap, that album is awesome in every way.
― CaptainLorax, Friday, 9 November 2007 23:27 (sixteen years ago) link
-- jaymc, Friday, November 9, 2007 1:11 AM (16 hours ago) Bookmark Link
^^^drunk post
― jaymc, Friday, 9 November 2007 23:32 (sixteen years ago) link
xp I love Arab Strap too but the weaknesses are more obtrusive on there, for one thing. Anyhow I still rate Fold Your Hands as at least my 3nd favorite full length so I never expect to agree with anyone on B&S threads ;)
― tremendoid, Saturday, 10 November 2007 00:33 (sixteen years ago) link
I basically agree with mark h. But, like Adam Beales, when I saw them tour TLP they were totally charmless. Then I ended up loving the record. The live performance kind of pulled all their songs into this dull middle ground. But on record, with fewer songs and clearer production to distinguish them from one another, I think I value that cohesiveness a lot more. Sinister is my favourite, and that has a lot more focus than the other early stuff - I think that gives it its personality.
TLP has got focus as a whole (+consistency, the odd 'Best Of' contribution), where DCW kind of hops about before deciding what to do at the end. Its like Trevor Horn picked them up and threw them this way and that trying to see how they worked (that makes it sound more fun than I've ever found it). I kind of have FYHetc and DCW in the same bracket - they don't really hang together as albums, they've got some dross, and they've got some great stuff. If anything I prefer FYHC - its two albums I don't ever want get to the end of, and at least that one has better highs if I'm going to be hitting the skip button.
― Greist, Saturday, 10 November 2007 02:13 (sixteen years ago) link
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE THAT PREFER LISTENING TO BELLE AND SEBASTIAN TO DYING A SLOW, PAINFUL DEATH
AND WHY
― stephen, Saturday, 10 November 2007 04:10 (sixteen years ago) link
I definitely prefer TLP over DCW for many of the reasons stated above.
DCW has several great songs and lots of filler. I've never been a big fan of the move to include more songs by or featuring members other than Stuart Murdoch.
TLP is much more solid, more consistent, more enjoyable. And it is particularly nice because it seems like a true break from their past work. They were in a rut and needed the change.
― Moodles, Saturday, 10 November 2007 04:46 (sixteen years ago) link
TLP is consistantly boring.
― DavidM, Saturday, 10 November 2007 09:52 (sixteen years ago) link
hay i fixed that one for you k? ^^
― stephen, Sunday, 11 November 2007 19:42 (sixteen years ago) link
TLPB&S is consistantly boring.
hay i fixed that one again, the second time
― stephen, Sunday, 11 November 2007 19:43 (sixteen years ago) link
<3<3 'the life pursuit' <3<3
― Youve Beenexposed (J0rdan S.), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 20:35 (thirteen years ago) link
recently realized how much latter day B&S sounds like late 70s/early 80s Kinks, lyrics/music/everything
― tylerw, Tuesday, 15 June 2010 20:41 (thirteen years ago) link
can't believe it's been 4 years since these guys have released an album.
― iatee, Tuesday, 15 June 2010 20:41 (thirteen years ago) link
there's a new one on the horizon right?
― tylerw, Tuesday, 15 June 2010 20:42 (thirteen years ago) link
DCW has greater highs, but TLP is more consistent.
The idea of B&S releasing an album in 2010 is kind of hard for me to get my head around.
― village idiot (dog latin), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 08:58 (thirteen years ago) link
The needless hair splitting in the thread title is hilarious.
― Vulvuzela (Matt DC), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 09:34 (thirteen years ago) link
it is more consistently rubbish, certainly. I re-listened to all my B&S stuff recently, and I was really stunned by how bad TLP is. Even the songs that are a bit better than the others would only count as filler on another B&S album.
I get the idea that a lot of B&S fans do not like DCW that much, but this might be more a factor of thinking they stopped being any good after IYBS.
I remember when DCW, being rather surprised by how good it was. I wish they had stopped then, it would have made a nice late career highlight and finisher.
― The New Dirty Vicar, Wednesday, 16 June 2010 12:11 (thirteen years ago) link
DCW had a lot of nonsense on it though. TPS has some proper tunes - Dress Up In You is one of their better ballads, the Act Of The Apostle tracks are great too. And To Be Myself Completely is the best song by that one guy who isn't Stuart.
― village idiot (dog latin), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 12:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Love TLP, only intermittently engaged by their back catalogue. I'm in a more upbeat phase right now though, so as soon as I go back to mopey music I'm sure I'll begin to prefer Tigermilk etc. But since its release I'm always glad to hear a track from TLP crop up on shuffle but I can't say the same for DCW.
"Dress Up In You", "Sukie", "White Collar Boy", that other T-rex one, what was it, oh yeah, "Blues are Still Blue", "Another Sunny Day", to a somewhat lesser extent "Frog" and "Apostle I & II"... love 'em. This record feels to me like (not sounds like) one of the Smiths' better albums; I retrieve similar pleasures from it. I do recall there were a couple of stinkers on it, though.
― Fifi live from gay Paree (staggerlee), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 23:20 (thirteen years ago) link
I like TLP but I'm pretty sure it's my least favorite B&S album (BWTAS being the most favorite, obv)
― exit through the (Tape Store), Thursday, 17 June 2010 00:14 (thirteen years ago) link
TLP is the only B&S i still think to put on these days. i tried listening to sinister a few weeks ago and i just couldn't relate to it anymore.
― psychrock...? (electricsound), Thursday, 17 June 2010 00:21 (thirteen years ago) link
Neither album compares well with their earlier albums, but TLP is such a dog of an album.
― Cunga, Thursday, 17 June 2010 00:23 (thirteen years ago) link
raises hand, i love The Life Pursuit always puts me in a good mood.
― Boo Radley (Bee OK), Thursday, 17 June 2010 02:51 (thirteen years ago) link
Who are these people that think any one LP that came out after 'The Boy with the Arab Strap' is the best Belle and Sebastian LP as opposed to those before and including TBwtAS?
― scooter (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 17 June 2010 03:02 (thirteen years ago) link
People that focus on lyrics more than the music?
― scooter (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 17 June 2010 03:04 (thirteen years ago) link
I think this may be true as I love lyrical construction and wordplay and TLP ranks high for these in my very blinkered tastes.
― Hunt3r, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 00:45 (two years ago) link
DCW has greater highs, but TLP is more consistent.This is the correct take. I love them both equally
― J. Sam, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 00:51 (two years ago) link
I don't think I'd listened to either since the poll a couple of years ago. A ridiculous track-by-track showdown after such a hiatus suggests that it might be a tie for me. I barely had to think at all to select a winner in each match, and the more annoying bits of each record are neatly eliminated, lol. A compilation of the victors could even be their best LP. Sorta. Maybe.
THE LIFE PURSUIT DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS WINNERAct of the Apostle 1+2 Step into My Office, Baby TLP - Another Sunny Day Dear Catastrophe Waitress TLP - White Collar Boy If She Wants Me - DCWThe Blues Are Still Blue Piazza, New York Catcher - DCWDress Up in You Asleep on a Sunbeam TLP - Sukie in the Graveyard I'm a Cuckoo - DCWWe Are the Sleepyheads You Don't Send Me TLP - Song for Sunshine Wrapped Up in Books - DCWFunny Little Frog Lord Anthony TLP - To Be Myself Completely If You Find Yourself Caught in Love - DCWFor the Price of a Cup of Tea Roy Walker TLP - Mornington Crescent Stay Loose - DCW
Act of the Apostle 1+2 Step into My Office, Baby TLP - Another Sunny Day Dear Catastrophe Waitress TLP - White Collar Boy If She Wants Me - DCWThe Blues Are Still Blue Piazza, New York Catcher - DCWDress Up in You Asleep on a Sunbeam TLP - Sukie in the Graveyard I'm a Cuckoo - DCWWe Are the Sleepyheads You Don't Send Me TLP - Song for Sunshine Wrapped Up in Books - DCWFunny Little Frog Lord Anthony TLP - To Be Myself Completely If You Find Yourself Caught in Love - DCWFor the Price of a Cup of Tea Roy Walker TLP - Mornington Crescent Stay Loose - DCW
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 04:43 (two years ago) link
Both albums are maybe a song or two too long but a compilation of the best of both would beat even Sinister
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 08:29 (two years ago) link
In my head DCW is my favourite, but looking at the two tracklistings it's very very close
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 08:42 (two years ago) link
And man, TLP sounds BIG today. It kinda rocks. Those horns at the end of "Sukie"...
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 09:03 (two years ago) link
"mornington crescent" and "dress up in you" are probably among my 5 or 10 most played B&S songs
― intern at pepe le pew research (Simon H.), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 13:12 (two years ago) link
Dress Up In You is definitely a career highlight.
Very keen on To Be Myself Completely as well. Maybe my favourite non-Murdoch song?
― Urbandn hope all ye who enter here (dog latin), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 13:19 (two years ago) link
this is pretty much where I'm at in theory, but the reality is that I only ever listen to a few songs off either of them these days.
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 13:28 (two years ago) link
Very keen on To Be Myself Completely as well. Maybe my favourite non-Murdoch song?Yeah, that's definitely my favorite Stevie Jackson song
― J. Sam, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 13:31 (two years ago) link