We need a good Belle & Sebastian thread

[u2popmofo]

On the drive to work today, 'The Boy With the Arab Strap', came on the radio. If I could have devised a way to climb on top of my car and surf-dance to the song while driving to work (ala Teen Wolf), I would have. That's how much I like that song.

I spent 30 minutes looking for a good Belle & Sebastian thread, and couldn't find any longer than 8 posts or so, and most of those were people saying things like, "Do you like them?" "Yes, I like them". So I figured we needed a new thread.

Tell me all things B&S. What are your favorite albums? Favorite songs? Favorite lyrics? Favorite band members? Favorite videos? Favorite pictures? Anything and everything Belle & Sebastian, let's get to it.

To start us off, here are a couple vids I've been digging recently. Here they are performing the aforementioned song, 'The Boy With the Arab Strap' on Jools Holland. I'm still not sure if that's Tegan and Sara playing with them or not...:

YouTube - Belle & Sebastian -The Boy With The Arab Strap-


And 'I'm Waking Up to Us', the song and performance that completely won me over to the band on Conan years back:

YouTube - Belle and Sebastian - I'm Waking Up To Us (Live)

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

The only album I own, unfortunately, is The Life Pursuit. But I love it. Off the top of my head my favorites from that album are Funny Little Frog, Another Sunny Day, White Collar Boy, and For the Price of a Cup of Tea. Good stuff, with Funny Little Frog probably being my favorite song I've heard by the band. I actually haven't listened to that album in a long time, I might just do that.

 

[got_edge]

The Boy With The Arab Strap is one of my favorite B&S songs

 

[got_edge]

YouTube - Belle & Sebastian: Boy With The Arab Strap (Live Coachella)

 

[u2popmofo]

The only album I own, unfortunately, is The Life Pursuit.

Ironically, I still don't own that album... Another Sunny Day is a great track though. It's on my list to get after I finally find Tigermilk. I would highly recommend their early work: If You're Feeling Sinister, The Boy With the Arab Strap, and Push Barman to Open Old Wounds.

The Boy With The Arab Strap is one of my favorite B&S songs

So will you drive as I dance on the roof of my car to the song then, or at least vice versa?

 

[got_edge]

Yes. And then I'll suddenly hit the brakes

 

[joyfulgirl]

Another Sunny Day is a great track though.

So will you drive as I dance on the roof of my car to the song then, or at least vice versa?

That showed up on a mix on my drive out last week. I love that song.

It really depends on the car. I mean, it has to be a cool car.

 

[u2popmofo]

They used a van in Teen Wolf (and Teen Wolf 2 - Jason Bateman!), are you saying that's not cool?



Got Edge, no brake pumping. Unless it's the Snoop kind:
YouTube - Snoop Dogg - Brake Fluid (Biiittch Pump Yo Brakes)

 

[LemonMelon]

I have If You're Feeling Sinister on my list of albums to check out. This thread has caused me to bump it further up on the list.

 

[joyfulgirl]

They used a van in Teen Wolf (and Teen Wolf 2 - Jason Bateman!), are you saying that's not cool?

No, I'm saying do you have a van?

 

[u2popmofo]

No, I'm saying do you have a van?

I don't, but I figured if Michael J. Fox and Jason Bateman could dress up in werewolf makeup and "be cool" by doing it on a van, essentially any car would work for someone who isn't a werewolf. I'm cruising in a Passat though, does that work? The sun roof may cave in, but as Of Montreal says, "We suffer for fashion or whatever."


GE, that video was entertaining. The Foo Fighters part at the end was good stuff.

 

[joyfulgirl]

II'm cruising in a Passat though, does that work? The sun roof may cave in,

So then, you have good taste in, like, everything?

All I know is that there will be no surf-dancing on the sunroof of my lame Ford Focus. I've had enough problems.

But are you sure Arab Strap is the best B&S song to surf dance to?

 

[got_edge]

GE, that video was entertaining. The Foo Fighters part at the end was good stuff.

What did you think of the sound of the Foo Fighters?

 

[elevation2u]

Barry: Holy shite. What the fuck is that?
Dick: It's the new Belle and Sebastian...
Rob: It's a record we've been listening to and enjoying, Barry.
Barry: Well, that's unfortunate, because it SUCKS ASS.

 

[u2popmofo]

So then, you have good taste in, like, everything?

But are you sure Arab Strap is the best B&S song to surf dance to?

The first time my friends saw me with the car (at a concert...), one of them said, "I'm surprised you actually wanted to meet us at the venue, I figured now that you're driving a Volkswagen that you'd only be seen in coffee houses wearing cardigans and writing poetry on a MacBook Pro."

The only other B&S song that I can think of that would compete for vehicular surf-dancing would be:
YouTube - Belle & Sebastian -Your Cover's Blown (Video)-

What did you think of the sound of the Foo Fighters?

I'm too enthralled with the indie kids they show in the crowd at about 3:43 to decide. Those kids are definitely the stereotype Belle & Sebastian fans. Hell, they're like the poster children for indie hipster kids everywhere. They should have been on this poster:

 

[u2popmofo]

I have If You're Feeling Sinister on my list of albums to check out. This thread has caused me to bump it further up on the list.

I had meant to mention that I approve of this, LeMeL. Let me know what you think. It admittedly wasn't an "immediate" type of album for me. In fact, it was quite the opposite, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was instantly gratifying for some others. I don't want to tell you what my fav tracks are from it, as I'd rather wait and hear what you like.

 

[LemonMelon]

I had meant to mention that I approve of this, LeMeL. Let me know what you think it admittedly wasn't an "immediate" type of album for me. In fact, it was quite the opposite, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was instantly gratifying for some others. I don't want to tell you what my fav tracks are from it, as I'd rather wait and hear what you like.

OK, I have If You're Feeling Sinister and Let Love In by Nick Cave on queue for tonight. I'll report back.

 

[joyfulgirl]

The first time my friends saw me with the car (at a concert...), one of them said, "I'm surprised you actually wanted to meet us at the venue, I figured now that you're driving a Volkswagen that you'd only be seen in coffee houses wearing cardigans and writing poetry on a MacBook Pro."

I can see it!

NOT

I think my car just says "girl on a budget but needed leather & sunroof." Kind of pathetic actually.

The sad thing about the hipster youth poster child is that he's going to grow up to be a Radiohead fan.

And I'm afraid Your Cover's Blown doesn't work for me.

LM, I love If You're Feeling Sinister. I didn't like it immediately either except for a couple of standout tracks. But now I really like it.

 

[FitzChivalry]

Where was this thread yesterday!!!!

I went on a used cd shopping spree yesterday and they had 4 or 5 Belle & Sebastian albums, and I turned to redkat and said: Bell & Sebastian? What's good? I've always wanted to check them out. But she just because she didn't know any, so I moved on to the "C"s.

 

[LemonMelon]

After one listen, here are my impressions:

1. The Stars Of Track And Field: 9/10
2. Seeing Other People: 8.5/10
3. Me And The Major: 7/10
4. Like Dylan In The Movies: 7.5/10
5. The Fox In The Snow: 7.5/10
6. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying: 8/10
7. If You're Feeling Sinister: 9/10
8. Mayfly: 7/10
9. The Boy Done Wrong Again: 7.5/10
10. Judy And The Dream Of The Horses: 7/10

Overall: 8/10

Gorgeous melodies; they're definitely influenced by artists like The Left Banke, Love, and Nick Drake (you can also hear how albums like this influenced The Decemberists and The Shins, which is cool). The lyrics, from what I can pick out, are also pretty sharp. However, I simply don't like Stuart Murdoch's voice. That's the only thing that really held the album back for me. I have no issue with listening to albums that would get a guy beaten up in high school, but I like my singers to have a tiny bit of vocal strength. Even Nick Drake pushed his vocals a little harder than Murdoch does here. Plus, his pitch is hardly perfect. Regardless, the melodies he penned are absolutely fantastic, and I love this style of music. The title track is a almost a masterpiece, and the album gets off to an awesome start. Give me some time to get used to his voice, and this could be a new favorite. I warmed up to Bob Dylan and Wayne Coyne, so who knows.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I had the same problem with his voice at first. It was so wimpy I didn't know if I could get past it. But I did and now I find it charming. If the songs weren't so good, I don't know, though.

I love Stars of Track & Field esp when the horn comes in.

I also love Seeing Other People and Like Dylan in the Movies. I haven't listened to this in ages, though. Need to give it a spin.

 

[u2popmofo]

Fitz, better late than never, broseph!

I'm impressed LeMeL, I think I actually would have given it about a 6 or 7 at the highest my first time through. While your influences may be correct (as I don't really listen to any of them to know), what drew me in initially was their Smiths-followers status and sound. Hopefully you'll get over the voice, I can't remember it every bothering me. Stuart has said that he doesn't think the album was recorded very well, so maybe that's part of it.

My favs are probably: 'Like Dylan in the Movies', 'Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying', and 'If You Are Feeling Sinister'. Also quite enjoy Stars of Track and Field (there's a band I've never heard that took their name after this song) and Judy and the Dream of Horses. The whole album is great though, I seem to have different songs I prefer each time I hear it.

To add to the hype, let me cut and paste this from Wikipedia:

Acclaim for If You're Feeling Sinister has been strong. Pitchfork Media placed the album at number 14 in its top 100 albums of the 1990s. Rolling Stone magazine featured the album on its list of "Essential Recordings of the 1990s," while Spin (magazine) included the record at number 76 on its "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005" list. If You're Feeling Sinister also appears as an entry in the book 1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die as chosen by music critics. Another source that analyzes critics, Acclaimed Music, has placed If You're Feeling Sinister as the 5th-best album of 1996 and number 341 of all time.

 

[Salome]

favourite album: Dear Catastrophe Waitress
favourite song: Boy done wrong again

the Push Bar Man album is the best ' introduction' album

 

[u2popmofo]

Dear Catastrophe has some of my favorite songs of theirs, 'I'm a Cuckoo' for example.

So I listened to If You're Feeling Sinister this afternoon, and whether it was some sort of subconscious thing or not, all of my favorite songs this time were the ones I didn't mention before... (Seeing Other People, Me and the Major, Fox in the Snow, Mayfly)

 

[u2popmofo]

A 2 disc BBC sessions compilation is apparently coming out November 18th:

Belle and Sebastian Collect BBC Sessions on New Comp | Pitchfork

Disc One - Radio Sessions:

01 The State I Am In (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96)
02 Like Dylan in the Movies (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96)
03 Judy and the Dream of Horses (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96)
04 The Stars of Track and Field (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96)
05 I Could Be Dreaming (Mark Radcliffe session; 12/96; abbreviated version)
06 Seymour Stein (Evening Session; 07/97)
07 Lazy Line Painter Jane (Evening Session; 07/97)
08 Sleep the Clock Around (Evening Session; 07/97)
09 Slow Graffiti (Evening Session; 07/97)
10 Wrong Love (later recorded as "The Wrong Girl") (Evening Session; 07/97)
11 Shoot the Sexual Athlete (John Peel session; 05/01)
12 The Magic of a Kind Word (John Peel session; 05/01)
13 Nothing in the Silence (John Peel session; 05/01)
14 (My Girl's Got) Miraculous Technique (John Peel session; 05/01)

Disc Two - Live in Belfast (12/21/01):

01 Here Comes the Sun
02 There's Too Much Love
03 The Magic of a Kind Word
04 Me and the Major
05 Wandering Alone
06 The Model
07 I'm Waiting for the Man
08 The Boy With the Arab Strap
09 The Wrong Girl
10 Dirty Dream #2
11 The Boys Are Back in Town
12 Legal Man

 

[u2popmofo]

Wish I would have picked up The Life Pursuit ages ago, I can't believe how solid it is for a B&S album.

 

[barlowdog]

What a fantastic time for a thread like this as I was just listening to If You're Feeling Sinister last week for the first time in ages. So, yeah, "If You're Feeling Sinister" is my fave album by B&S. I have many of their albums, but am missing Tigermilk; just never got around to it and I know it's probably a must. Also really like Push Barman, though it's a lot to get through. "The State I Am In" f'n rules! Didn't really care for The Life Pursuit, but will try to give it another listen after I'm done putting together my Best of Hayden mix this week.

 

[u2popmofo]

In an email sent out to their mailing list today, the band writes that they have been writing new songs in Glasgow recently and are about to head to Los Angeles to record a new album.

 

[LemonMelon]

In the time since I last posted, If You're Feeling Sinister as a whole has risen about half a point from my previous rating, and is now one of my favorite snowy day albums. Don't know what I would do without it in such situations.

Also, Seeing Other People has become one of my favorite songs of a time. It's so innocent, yet it has a very hazy, haunting quality that lifts its pleasant chord progression to monumental heights. And the lyrics are fucking amazing. In any other thread but one dedicated to Belle And Sebastian, I would be hesitant to admit that it often makes me cry.

Time to investigate some of their other work.

 

[Saracene]

I knew absolutely nothing about Belle & Sebastian, so when I looked up some of their stuff tonight I was surprised to find out that Isobel Campbell in fact was not their lead singer. I know her from her collaborations with Mark Lanegan and I knew that she was in Belle & Sebastian so I sorta assumed that she must have been their vocalist.

Anyway, I'm not crazy about the guy's voice, but the songs I've heard so far are so absolutely gorgeous I might give him a chance to grow on me.