does anyone still like Belle and Sebastian?

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Exactly. That other guy's off-key, low-register drone seemed totally at odds with the rest of the group's style. I mean, if you want to write and play songs that aren't as good as Stuart Murdoch's, go join Looper.

Brandon Gentry (Brandon Gentry), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 20:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

I like some of their stuff, especially "It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career."
But I think they suffer from Paulsimonitis -- you know, they just NEVER turn up the volume.

Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 20:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

the last time i listened to them was this summer and it was quite pleasant

i suspect in another month or two it'll be time for the yearly listen

jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

What Jess said. The last album is not exactly atrocious, but I sold it on the basis of not wanting to have anything as limp as "The Wrong Girl" in my collection.

Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

The last track has a nice almost-Tamla/Motown shuffle to it. They are a really limited band, it's a music of small pleasures I suppose.

Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

yes, as soon as it gets a little warmer it'll be the perfect weather for a few plays a given week: slightly overcast, not terribly oppressive, breezy.

jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

What Jess said. The last album is not exactly atrocious, but I sold it on the basis of not wanting to have anything as limp as "The Wrong Girl" in my collection.

maybe extend that sentiment to not wanting to own ANYTHING by a band that wrote "Seymour Stein"... some B&S stuff just goes way beyond dire.

The Tigermilk CD and another CDR with half album tracks and half b-sides is all you need.

Aaron A., Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

you are all twatmunks - Seymour Stein and The Wrong Girl are both G*R*A*T*E songs.

I still like Belle & Sebastian. I have a lot of fondness for the Storytelling album and listen to it a lot. It is not a very B&S-y record, though.

DV (dirtyvicar), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

I still like stuff from the first three albums and EPs, but I never thought they were all that though. I still think they're best release was the Legal Man single.

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

and I really need to proofread my posts. "their".

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

"The Wrong Girl"--it's totally anemic! "Seymour Stein" is awful too. They're like baseline totally-uninspired indie pop. But if you like it, I have some Le Mans records to sell you!

I like the more eccentric synth stylings on Tigermilk best, but again, I'm not very passionate about them.

Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

i like "the wrong girl", but third/fourth the shitstorm named "seymour stein", a song that turned me off stevie jackson permanently.

gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

This thread is getting me to thinking I should sell my B&S records altogether.

Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

I still like the older albums a lot, more than the recent output, but for some reason whenever I think of them now I hear the keyboard and strings from "Don't Leave the Light On Baby". I think that was one of their better moments..

Bobby D Gray (bedhead), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

please do it!

your belle and sebastian records (gygax!), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

My first exposure to Belle and Sebastian was "Legal Man". That song made me want to go back in time and smack the 60s.

Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

Amateurist in totally not getting it shockah! Although I'm not the person to explain it, Pinefox or JtN to thread, or other eloquent sinisterines.

Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:48 (twenty-one years ago) link

This makes me wonder... on all those 'songs you AND NO-ONE ELSE likes' threads, did I ever mention Beyond The Sunrise... even the B&S luvvahs tend to want to stick a big ugly knife into it, but I think it's quite lovely.

And I like Stevie Jackson's voice as well. Chickfactor is great.

William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

OK, it's resolved.

Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

ha i bet i know what resolved it.

in their weaker moments, belle and sebastian make me lament the death of nick drake in the same way that puddle of mudd and staind make me lament the death of kurt cobain.

jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

i need a powerful cocktail of hard drugs to get me through this stuff.

Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

haha i know, i'm a dick

Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

(Note: I don't like B&S.)

Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

EVEN HSTENCIL LIKES A B&S SONG!!!!!

*runs for cover*

gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

My like is fading

girl scout heroin (iamamonkey), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:57 (twenty-one years ago) link

How Wagnerian.

Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 21:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm glad.

Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

hstencil likes a B&S song?? How can this be.

Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm not sure if I've listened to them in over a year and a half. I know that I have confined the B&S cd's I own to the wardrobe. Their second album was good, the others weren't, and I liked the EP's they released.

jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

I blame hstencil for liking belle and sebastian.

Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

he likes "century of fakers".

next time: me, hstencil, and shakey mo will karaoke it over "century of elvis".

gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

belle and sebastian!!
-- mark s (mar...), March 23rd, 2003.

(the above 's from the ile what-are-you-listening-to-today thread, though as to whether mark s did dig 'em or not... go figure)

t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

Waiting until the next album before writing them off. The soundtrack was deleted as MP3S!! The album bored me so much that it did not make it too CDR. The first two are classics. The last two albums were so-so. So here's hoping.

Samson, Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

great singles, dodgy albums

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

and somehow i still own everything they've done

electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

hstencil is such a wus at heart. ;-)

jack cole (jackcole), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 22:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm pro-B&S though I find that they've been offering diminishing returns ever since The Boy With The Arab Strap. Even still, they still have some good songs on their weaker releases, like "Women's Realm" from their Fold Your Hands LP. I very seldom listen to the band, but I do enjoy the songs I like a lot when I hear them. Their best songs are great pop music, and I'm always a sucker for that.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 23:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

On the subject of Stevie Jackson - though I'm not a huge fan of his songs, I don't mind him nearly as much as I do the contributions of Isobel, Sarah, or the Looper guy. I like Isobel as a back up singer for Stuart Murdoch, but as a lead vocalist/songwriter, she's almost unbearable.

The absolute worst B&S song is the duet that Isobel and Stevie sing on Fold Your Hands...I think it's called "Before The Sunrise". That song is painfully bad, I often think of it as being one of the worst songs I've ever paid to own a copy of.

Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Tuesday, 25 March 2003 23:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

gygax! is right: I do like "Century of Fakers." You can burn the rest, tho.

hstencil, Wednesday, 26 March 2003 01:43 (twenty-one years ago) link

*head explodes*

Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 26 March 2003 01:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

c'mon, I'd mentioned that before!

hstencil, Wednesday, 26 March 2003 01:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

htweencil

gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 02:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

I love B&S. My friend Elise had there CD and we were listening to it together one time. There awesome. I dont have alot of there music, and I dont hear much about them, but I like them alot. Some of there songs reak, but for the most part there pretty good.

Trina, Wednesday, 26 March 2003 05:36 (twenty-one years ago) link

I reckon B&S are going through their late-60s/early-70s Beach Boys period now, where the main creative force has blown his wad, and the other less outrageously-gifted, but still studio-savvy and pop-clever folks are taking over. These are the Carl and Dennis years (or maybe the Bruce Johnstone era). I don't think there's any danger of a Mike Love period, cos they, er, got rid of her.

I look forward to the *sound* of future B&S records, even if the songs might be a bit flimsy. I liked Storytelling quite a bit and I got the (perhaps entirely mistaken) impression that it was a Stevie-driven thing.

Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 10:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

I still like them. I overdosed back when I liked them a lot though. At Glastonbury they were marvellous, I thought. Not heard Storytelling but "Jonathan David" was a very good single and the one after that had its moments. I think I'm fonder of them because of the nice people I've met who like them.

Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 10:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

What is the appeal of Stuart Murdoch's voice?

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 11:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

Enunciation.

Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 11:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

Can't you enunciate and still sound like you're providing some kind of support for your tone?

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 11:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

Tone support is for nasty bullies.

Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 11:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

Really? Like, it's more sympathetic because it's weaker-sounding? (Or am I reading too much into a joke?) Would you rate it as better or at least as distinct and equally valuabe as Nick Drake's voice, say?

Do you like Bernard Sumner too?

sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 26 March 2003 11:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

Often referred to as the 'greatest Scottish band ever', Belle & Sebastian have enjoyed critical success throughout their career. Currently on hiatus - with no plans to record any new material in the near future - the band present 'The BBC Sessions', which features tracks from the time of their formation in 1996 right up until 2001. The sessions also contain the group's last recordings with departed cellist Isobel Campbell.

Mark G, Sunday, 9 November 2008 22:33 (fifteen years ago) link

ohhhh god yes more tracks with isobel pleeeeeeeease

psychgawsple, Sunday, 9 November 2008 22:38 (fifteen years ago) link

I still love everything prior to that last album which I hate.

akm, Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:34 (fifteen years ago) link

that's silly

keythkeyth, Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:38 (fifteen years ago) link

Stopping at 01 means a distinct lack of them doing "The 12 Days of Christmas" on Peel in December 02. Lame.

Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:41 (fifteen years ago) link

Often referred to as the 'greatest Scottish band ever',

ok what

ban or astroban? (Curt1s Stephens), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:43 (fifteen years ago) link

I like B&S aiight

ban or astroban? (Curt1s Stephens), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:43 (fifteen years ago) link

Often referred to as what? By whom? Christ, these people's egos know no bounds.

Still: on hiatus, eh? Small mercies.

NOW WITH ADDED CAPS (grimly fiendish), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:44 (fifteen years ago) link

The 50 Best Scottish Bands Of All Time (as voted for by the public) are as follows:

Belle & Sebastian
Travis
Idlewild
Wet Wet Wet
Sensational Alex Harvey Band
Simple Minds
Teenage Fanclub
Bay City Rollers
Primal Scream
The Proclaimers
Texas
Mull historical society
Big country
Snow Patrol
Franz Ferdinand
Bis
Deacon Blue
Fish
Jesus and Mary Chain
Mogwai
Runrig
Trash Can Sinatras
Del Amitri
Orange Juice
Nazareth
Beta Band
Biffy Clyro
Altered Images
Aztec Camera
Eddi Reader
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie
Fire Engines
Delgados
Arab strap
Vaselines
Associates
The Pastels
Eurythmics
Aereogramme
Blue Nile
Boards of Canada
Rezillos
Incredible string band
Cocteau twins
Dogs Die in Hot Cars
Spare Snare
Average White Band
Lulu
Skids
Shamen

Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:45 (fifteen years ago) link

Aereogramme

lol 2004

Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:46 (fifteen years ago) link

I'd still consider voting Aereogramme now.

NOW WITH ADDED CAPS (grimly fiendish), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:47 (fifteen years ago) link

Where was that from, anyway?

NOW WITH ADDED CAPS (grimly fiendish), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:47 (fifteen years ago) link

The List/King Tuts' Wah Wah Club/Orange joint promotion, 2005.

Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:48 (fifteen years ago) link

I dunno, who are meant to "canonically" be the best Scottish band ever then? Because, Sensational Alex Harvey Band aside, I probably _would_ vote for B&S.

Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:49 (fifteen years ago) link

Er, dunno. Just not B&S, that's all ;)

NOW WITH ADDED CAPS (grimly fiendish), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:50 (fifteen years ago) link

Actually, Yatsura were great as well. I'll vote for them. They would have been better if they were from Camden though.

Peter "One Dart" Manley (The stickman from the hilarious 'xkcd' comics), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:52 (fifteen years ago) link

well it's clearly spare snare

thereminimum chips (electricsound), Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:53 (fifteen years ago) link

I still love everything prior to that last album which I hate.

This is straight up madness, as The Life Pursuit was pretty much the only thing by B&S worth hearing since If You're Feeling Sinister.

Johnny Fever, Sunday, 9 November 2008 23:58 (fifteen years ago) link

The Life Pursuit was pretty much the only thing by B&S worth hearing since If You're Feeling Sinister.

you just aren't down with that orchestral pop, THATs the true madness. it's beautiful, imo

psychgawsple, Monday, 10 November 2008 00:15 (fifteen years ago) link

The blurb was from the HMV website, folks.

Mark G, Monday, 10 November 2008 00:25 (fifteen years ago) link

Often referred to as the 'greatest Scottish band ever',

You could remove the word "Scottish" from there and you'd get no argument from me.

Mr. Snrub, Monday, 10 November 2008 01:13 (fifteen years ago) link

wit & sebastian

ban or astroban? (Curt1s Stephens), Monday, 10 November 2008 01:16 (fifteen years ago) link

it just strikes me as kind of ummmmmm that a band as derivative as Belle & Sebastian would be championed as the best specimen of anything

ban or astroban? (Curt1s Stephens), Monday, 10 November 2008 01:17 (fifteen years ago) link

is there anyone ever who didnt like If You're Feeling Sinister?

Kevin Keller, Monday, 10 November 2008 01:18 (fifteen years ago) link

yes kevin, there are many people in this world who don't like that album

thereminimum chips (electricsound), Monday, 10 November 2008 01:29 (fifteen years ago) link

Probably most people, if you could play it for every person in the world.

funky president (call all destroyer), Monday, 10 November 2008 01:30 (fifteen years ago) link

that's a good point

Kevin Keller, Monday, 10 November 2008 01:31 (fifteen years ago) link

That list of the best Scottish band upthread is a peyle of shyte, fer fooks sake. No BMX Bandits, no cred.

Sugar hiccup, Makes a pig soar and swoon (Pillbox), Monday, 10 November 2008 01:41 (fifteen years ago) link

surely most people would like the eps more than sinister

psychgawsple, Monday, 10 November 2008 01:48 (fifteen years ago) link

or the life pursuit

psychgawsple, Monday, 10 November 2008 01:49 (fifteen years ago) link

Actually, I've found the best B&S album to play to someone whose never heard them is Dear Catastrophe Waitress.

Mr. Snrub, Monday, 10 November 2008 01:54 (fifteen years ago) link

That's because Dear Catastrophe Waitress is easily their very best album. (ducks & runs..)

Sugar hiccup, Makes a pig soar and swoon (Pillbox), Monday, 10 November 2008 04:12 (fifteen years ago) link

This is straight up madness, as The Life Pursuit was pretty much the only thing by B&S worth hearing since If You're Feeling Sinister.

― Johnny Fever,

you are deaf

akm, Monday, 10 November 2008 06:07 (fifteen years ago) link

^^^ werd

psychgawsple, Monday, 10 November 2008 06:11 (fifteen years ago) link

whenever i'm in a record shop in glasgow and they're playing some unspeakable shite over the sound system, it always turns out to be belle and sebastian

Ward Fowler, Monday, 10 November 2008 07:10 (fifteen years ago) link

I saw a review this morning, seemed to suggest that the christmas session was an extra on CD2..

Mark G, Thursday, 13 November 2008 08:31 (fifteen years ago) link

Oh, I see what they've done...

The Belfast show was a christmas gig.

Mark G, Thursday, 13 November 2008 08:34 (fifteen years ago) link

Their b-sides and EP collections feature their best work. Hooking up with Trevor Horn was a bad idea in the long run, but where else would they have taken their sound? Oh well, still have the early music.

Cunga, Thursday, 13 November 2008 08:58 (fifteen years ago) link

two years pass...

Such a great live band. The audience is getting older and surlier though. Someone threw spitballs at me for standing & dancing when they played at a seated concert hall in Toronto last year :(

she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 21:20 (thirteen years ago) link

the youtube that I posted is strangely amazing btw

call me king bubbles and sound like a sheik sheik (CaptainLorax), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:38 (thirteen years ago) link

I can't stop watching it

call me king bubbles and sound like a sheik sheik (CaptainLorax), Tuesday, 15 February 2011 22:44 (thirteen years ago) link


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