XP: I never need to hear *ducks* "Step Into My Office, Baby" ever again, but I distinctly recall being all "YES! Exactly the right move!" upon hearing previews of "Stay Loose" and "I'm a Cuckoo" after the dead end of Fold Your Hands....
And Push Barman is fine for the albums poll, as far as I'm concerned. Likewise Third Eye Centre and the BBC thingy.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 26 November 2018 21:21 (five years ago) link
i think it'd be a lot of fun to listen to this band chronologically so i'm gonna give that a shot while assembling my ballot
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:24 (five years ago) link
a few years ago i made a playlist of all my favorite b&s songs and i think it flows really well for being 50 songs long https://open.spotify.com/user/unbornwhiskey/playlist/4EvRvOmaS4T7qjh6kEkJjI?si=_cwi_GFdRRS-SE82nZSgFA
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:25 (five years ago) link
XP: I never need to hear *ducks* "Step Into My Office, Baby"
Yes. I'm going back to Dear Catastrophe Waitress for the first time in years and it's way better than I remember, after the first two songs which will not be on my ballot.
― kornrulez6969, Monday, 26 November 2018 21:29 (five years ago) link
fair warning, im gonna vote for their cover of The Boys Are Back in Town as my #1
― twin sinema (voodoo chili), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:30 (five years ago) link
ok i won't, but it certainly might make my top 30
I've never heard that but I feel like I can imagine exactly what it sounds like (and it rules?)
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:33 (five years ago) link
i'm halfway through tigermilk and this is gonna be a tough poll
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:42 (five years ago) link
you guys are nuts, dear catastrophe waitress starts strong stays strong
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:43 (five years ago) link
i guess that's why we do the poll!
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:47 (five years ago) link
first run-through of my ballot has 8 songs from sinister on it...
― twin sinema (voodoo chili), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:47 (five years ago) link
First run through is 34 songs and nothing post DCW. I need to do some listening (and could do with some recommendations...).
― Have the Rams stopped screaming yet, Lloris? (Chinaski), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:49 (five years ago) link
Yeah I both a) want to give a fair listen to post-DCW material and b) don't really know how to cut down DCW and before to 30 songs...
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:51 (five years ago) link
I Want the World to Stop from Write About Love and Play For Today from Girls in Peacetime stood way out to me on those moderately disappointing albums.
― J. Sam, Monday, 26 November 2018 21:51 (five years ago) link
Play for Today and Cat with the Cream destined for my ballot.
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:54 (five years ago) link
Write About Love and I Didn't See It Coming stand a good chance as well.
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 26 November 2018 21:56 (five years ago) link
Nobody's Empire from Girls in Peacetime will be top ten on my ballot, you should definitely check that out.
― kornrulez6969, Monday, 26 November 2018 21:56 (five years ago) link
What do people reckon about PTBBOTS / Songs for Children? One song or two?
They're not obviously related as compositions, but they've never been issued as separate tracks. Hmmmmm. Perhaps we can separate them if someone expresses a desire to vote for the latter independently of the former. Otherwise...
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 26 November 2018 22:07 (five years ago) link
"the book of you" from girls in peacetime is top ten and maybe even top five b&s for me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yDPPdqyW8w
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Monday, 26 November 2018 22:10 (five years ago) link
oh yeah "nobody's empire" is also way up there
Well damn I already submitted my ballot sans "Push Barman..." but it is far and away my favourite B&S "album" (as was the CD-R I made from a friend's 3-EP boxset before "Barman..." was released)
― fgti is for (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 26 November 2018 22:37 (five years ago) link
Stuart Murdoch basically hits the ball when he writes one of his signature traipsing melodies (e.g. the verses of "Beautiful", the whole of "Piazza, New York Catcher") and pairs it with a deliciously misanthropic sentiment. I've thought for hours about "I was moved to kick the crutches from my crippled friend / my crippled friend" which is enormously difficult to unpack-- the character is an asshole for kicking crutches, the songwriter himself is an asshole for singing "crippled", and yet the line seems to be loving, the repetition of "my crippled friend" suggests a commemorative quality to the moment. Or the entirely of "Lazy Jane" which is both gaze-y upon its subject and simultaneously appreciative, tossing off a "and... she's bisexual? not that there's anything.." moment with the boy/girl flip on the choruses. I can't really figure out of this kind of Jerk Protagonist lyrical approach is just a revision of Morrissey or if Murdoch has invented his own unique brand of sympathetic assholism
― fgti is for (flamboyant goon tie included), Monday, 26 November 2018 22:46 (five years ago) link
Their song 'Are You Coming Over For Christmas?' pretty much always makes it onto my alternative xmas mixes. We'll see how festive I am come poll submission.
― Clam up, seal dick (fionnland), Monday, 26 November 2018 22:47 (five years ago) link
XP: I think the first thing I did with Napster was construct exactly such an EP compilation. Barman might be my #1 too. Happy to accept amendments!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 26 November 2018 22:52 (five years ago) link
I can't really justify voting for anything later than oooh... "I'm Waking Up To Us" maybe? I always loved the performative melodrama in that one.
― Jonathan Hellion Mumble, Monday, 26 November 2018 22:56 (five years ago) link
The first thing I've noticed going through these (I've got through the first 2 LPs and first 2 EPs) is that the opaque coyness I originally suspected to be about being gay is actually more like opaque coyness about being Christian. I'm fine with this now, but do wonder whether it would have put me off had I realised at the time I was listening to Christian rock.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Monday, 26 November 2018 23:20 (five years ago) link
I've thought for hours about "I was moved to kick the crutches from my crippled friend / my crippled friend" which is enormously difficult to unpack-- the character is an asshole for kicking crutches, the songwriter himself is an asshole for singing "crippled", and yet the line seems to be loving, the repetition of "my crippled friend" suggests a commemorative quality to the moment.
I thought it was less that he’s an asshole and more that he’s having delusions of being a faith healer, but I’ve never been quite clear on exactly what’s going on in the song. I do love that it’s one of those songs where each line changes the story.
― JoeStork, Monday, 26 November 2018 23:20 (five years ago) link
Swear i think this might be their best song, maybe it just makes me a bit 'emo' because a girl i know said it helped her at a difficult time. It's about Stuart Murdoch's illness (ME) that he had when he was young and he shares towards the end the sage advice he received about how one might conquer fears/difficulties generally. I think it's everything a song should be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgb8am3NQU0
― piscesx, Monday, 26 November 2018 23:28 (five years ago) link
Jonathan David will place high in my ballot. Such a singalong (if you share my talent for hitting high notes)
― itsabot! (rip van wanko), Monday, 26 November 2018 23:33 (five years ago) link
I didn't rank my ballot but it's "I Know Where The Summer Goes" because I am corny and I have good taste
― fgti is for (flamboyant goon tie included), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 00:39 (five years ago) link
"Nobody's Empire" is easily my favourite post-TLP track. Will be high up on my ballot.
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 00:50 (five years ago) link
this is going to be the first of these epic polls i will participate in
― Trϵϵship, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 00:52 (five years ago) link
i'm finally qualified
this is going to be fun, i don't know the early stuff by them so looking forward to diving in. my favorite is The Life Pursuit as it sounds like a single collection more than an album.
― Bee OK, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 00:53 (five years ago) link
also good job on the set up Nag! Nag! Nag!, as i don't think you have done one of these yet. it's a lot of work but also a lot of fun. have a good time!
― Bee OK, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:24 (five years ago) link
New B&S makes me sad. I think Stuart David and Isobel Campbell shaped the band into something good. Upon their departure the shape of B&S was more volatile. It was a bright period of discovery in which they ventured down some untrodden territory; but at the same time they neglected their signature sound and space. That volatilty produced some random goodies alongside klunkers. However, it couldn’t sustain itself for very long. B&S slowly deflated into a “cool” (read as dull), spiritless, poo emoticon shape. Some say that on a particularly twee evening you can stick your head out the window and hear the ghost of Stuart moonlighting as his former self.
― He said captain, I said wot (FlopsyDuck), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:38 (five years ago) link
wtf @ that nonsense
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:53 (five years ago) link
Thry lost their innocence and you cant get that back.
― He said captain, I said wot (FlopsyDuck), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:57 (five years ago) link
every band falls off eventually. i don't think it's something to be sad about or lament
― Trϵϵship, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:58 (five years ago) link
Is Jonathan David the consensus favorite Stevie Jackson song? I like it a lot, but I've always found the chords and melody of the verses to be a little jarring. Can someone with a better grasp of theory explain what's going on there to make it so cartoonishly spooky and dissonant, like is it an abundance of diminished chords or something like that?
I'd go with To Be Myself Completely for top Stevie track--wistful pop-soul classicism with nice background vox from Stuart.
― J. Sam, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:59 (five years ago) link
oh jeez "dirty dream number two" is the best song in the world
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:10 (five years ago) link
this is really great if yers haven't seen it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4de-RHHLCBA
― piscesx, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:10 (five years ago) link
(an hour long doc)
yup
― J. Sam, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:16 (five years ago) link
it's really something
― Trϵϵship, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:18 (five years ago) link
not a theory expert, but there's a lot of modulation--the verse, pre-chorus/bridge, and chorus are all in different keys. and the verse chord progression is very chromatic with a lot of close chord changes (goes from G to G# a lot, which is an uncommon change in modern pop). also some shifts between the major and minor versions of chords. basically, they throw in every chord-theory trick in the book.
― twin sinema (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:24 (five years ago) link
good song
Cheers Bee OK!
Not sure about the consensus, but "Jonathan David" is almost certainly my favourite SJ contribution. Likely top 10. And the promo video makes me laugh very reliably indeed. The other tracks on that single are also luvly, not least "The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner"...which I also need to hear without delay.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 02:30 (five years ago) link
Stevie Jackson is a truly lovely individual, just saying
― fgti is for (flamboyant goon tie included), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 03:20 (five years ago) link
Jonathan David is essentially a Forever Changes/Alone Again Or homage, no?
― everything, Tuesday, 27 November 2018 03:50 (five years ago) link
SM literally produced Camera Obscura, so
― resident hack (Simon H.), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 02:11 (five years ago) link
The Left Banke.
― that's not my post, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 02:51 (five years ago) link
about to send!
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 02:51 (five years ago) link
^ Which makes it...50 ballots!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 03:18 (five years ago) link
that's so great! I haven't participated in a lot of these polls, but that seem like a lot
― Dan S, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 03:27 (five years ago) link
So psyched for this
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 03:51 (five years ago) link
Voted!
― Hideous Lump, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 04:01 (five years ago) link
Room for one more?
― The Greta Van Gerwig (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 12 December 2018 04:11 (five years ago) link
Yep!
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 04:22 (five years ago) link
Also: did Van Horn Street survive his/her exam?
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 04:27 (five years ago) link
So excited to see the results of this. I voted early, without listening back to any of their music. Ever since I've been on a nonstop B&S listening kick, listened back through all of it. There's definitely some songs I should have voted for, but no looking back.
― erasingclouds, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 04:28 (five years ago) link
^ Similar here. I was just thinking before that my most persistent earworms this week were things like "Poor Boy", "Come On Sister", "Didn't See It Coming" and "Power of Three", none of which were even close to being on my list. They could probably sustain a career on their second and third tier songs alone.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 04:49 (five years ago) link
Okay, I'll start closing this now.
I'll take what I have to be the final numbers for the albums and EPs (the order, at least, looks to be quite stable now anyway) and get that ready for the countdown thread. I might be able to start that as early as late evening, my time. (Perhaps midday GMT)
If Van Horn Street still has a tracks ballot to submit, hopefully I'll see that in the next few hours.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 05:51 (five years ago) link
Results thread:
Could we please be objective cause the other POLLS are queuing up behind us - Artist Poll #94 - Belle & Sebastian - RESULTS
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Wednesday, 12 December 2018 13:13 (five years ago) link