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March 28, 2024, 06:21:52 PM

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New Belle & Sebastian LP

Started by holyzombiejesus, March 07, 2022, 12:46:29 PM

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holyzombiejesus

Not sure why I bother any more. To be fair, there's usually the odd fleck of gold in amongst the dog shit but there's something about the band I don't really like any more. I remember someone came in to my work and gave me a promo copy (on cassette!) of the Modern Rock Song EP just before it came out and I actually went out on my lunch and bought a Walkman so I could listen to it ASAP. Now, news of a new LP feels the same as knowing that family are due to visit.

Anyway, new single here.

Album artwork(s) are pretty bad.




purlieu

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 07, 2022, 12:46:29 PMthere's something about the band I don't really like any more.
Yes, this probably sums it up for me too. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but whatever charm they once had has evaporated. Can't fault a band for wanting to change, but there hasn't been a full-length release since Dear Catastrophe Waitress that has really worked for me beyond a small number of songs. I didn't even bother with Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance after a couple of listens, and I didn't delve into that EP collection beyond the singles. A shame.

Das Reboot

Funnily enough, I've been listening to Lazy Line Painter Jane a lot these past few days. The EPs from that period B&S were fantastic.

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 07, 2022, 12:46:29 PMAnyway, new single here.

I never want to hear that again.

Pranet

I quite like it.

My thing with Belle and Sebastian is that I am totally obsessed with them and then for a while I'm not interested.

My current not interested patch started just before Girls In Peacetime which I only listened to a couple of times and I've not heard anything they've done since.

But I've felt my curiosity begin to stir again recently and I've been considering catching up with what they've done over the last 7 years.

Seeing them in that video though they've got old. Which means I must have got old as well.

Pauline Walnuts

#4
Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 07, 2022, 12:46:29 PMAlbum artwork(s) are pretty bad.





Why do I keep getting this flashback to Spitting Image's Neil Kinnock's "I think Black People are Loverly, vote for ME!" speech?

the science eel

What are they like as a live act? thinking of going to see them next month

scarecrow

I've always found them a bit twee.

sutin

Not that fussed on the new single but still excited for the album. I can't help it, i'm a sucker for the bands I loved when I was a teenager.

They hit some sort of late period purple patch with Girls In Peacetime, that album was their best since the Jeepster days IMO. I also loved The Life Pursuit after finding Dear Catastrophe Waitress a massive letdown on release (I still think Step Into My Office is the absolute nadir of their career, along with If She Wants Me and If You Ever Find Yourself Caught In Love off the same album. Awful shite). Write About Love isn't great but I find it a lot less annoying than Catastrophe Waitress so I prefer it.

Kankurette

Quote from: the science eel on March 07, 2022, 08:25:32 PMWhat are they like as a live act? thinking of going to see them next month
Surprisingly not as boring as I thought they'd be, they were good at Latitude 2010. Although things might have changed since then. I can never remember who's in the band and who isn't except Stuart Murdoch, obviously.

sutin

They put on a great show and have done for years. They were more subdued in the '90s but really broke out of their shells from about Fold Your Hands onwards. A real party atmosphere.

DrGreggles

Quote from: the science eel on March 07, 2022, 08:25:32 PMWhat are they like as a live act? thinking of going to see them next month

I think they're great live.
Still see them every tour, despite having long given up buying their records.

Neomod

Saw them at the Roundhouse. Girlfriend's review, "He's a bit creepy".

amateur

Quote from: sutin on March 07, 2022, 11:16:23 PMThey put on a great show and have done for years. They were more subdued in the '90s but really broke out of their shells from about Fold Your Hands onwards. A real party atmosphere.

I'll agree with this statement. Loads of fun, particularly in Glasgow where I saw them.

New song is great, very New Pornos, this is a good thing.

holyzombiejesus

I like them live apart from Stevie's songs and *cuts and pastes bit from every B&S thread about how much I hate it when they invite the audience up and having to watch a load of Walter Softies and Mavis Cruets gallumphing about the stage*

I don't think that I've ever loved a band so much as I loved B&S around the time of the EPs and first two albums and whilst they were often quite shonky live (my friend asked SM for his money back after one of the Manchester Town Hall shows), I think they lost something when they became more professional, especially when their gigs stopped being such events and they started playing normal venues. I realise it might well be me that's the problem as most people seem to be having a whale of a time when I've seen them relatively recently. Maybe I'm just too miserable and old, or don't like 'big' gigs. I was thinking of going to see them at one of the (subsequently postponed) spring shows but struggled to summon up much enthusiasm.

Inspector Norse

Quote from: the science eel on March 07, 2022, 08:25:32 PMWhat are they like as a live act? thinking of going to see them next month

You might want to check on that - my girlfriend had a ticket to see them in Stockholm next month and got an e-mail that it was postponed until January.

holyzombiejesus

Quote from: sutin on March 07, 2022, 11:01:58 PMThey hit some sort of late period purple patch with Girls In Peacetime, that album was their best since the Jeepster days IMO.

Ha! I thought it was their worst album, albeit with 2 or 3 decent songs on it. Those subsequent EPs were even worse though. Also, I wish they'd stop involving their fans in things like videos and cover art. It's possibly rooted in good intentions but I hate it.

the science eel

Quote from: Inspector Norse on March 08, 2022, 10:41:11 AMYou might want to check on that - my girlfriend had a ticket to see them in Stockholm next month and got an e-mail that it was postponed until January.

Yeah, the Milan date looks like it's been postponed too.

Ah well.


sutin

#17
Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 08, 2022, 10:42:20 AMHa! I thought it was their worst album, albeit with 2 or 3 decent songs on it. Those subsequent EPs were even worse though. Also, I wish they'd stop involving their fans in things like videos and cover art. It's possibly rooted in good intentions but I hate it.

What, worse than (Oh) Dear (What A) Catastrophe Waitress?? I think Play for Today (the greatest B&S song ever?), Nobody's Empire, The Cat With The Cream and The Party Line alone secure it's place as their best in decades. The slight move into more electronic sounds really seemed to revitalise them after the tired-sounding Write About Love. The EPs that followed felt like a slight step back but there's still some great stuff there. You didn't like Sweet Dew Lee?? That's as strong as anything from the first three albums, too!

I do think that their sleeves have gotten worse. As much as i'm a fan of the Girls In Peacetime album, the artwork is hideous. The Push Barman... comp, despite containing some of their greatest ever music, has a horrible cover and title. The Stew Murdoch of 1996 would never have released something that looked like that. I guess you lose touch with your aesthetic as you get older. I still love 'em though, and probably always will. I've had them in my life for about 23 years now.

sutin

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 08, 2022, 10:33:57 AMI think they lost something when they became more professional, especially when their gigs stopped being such events and they started playing normal venues.

I totally understand and can relate to that. I think in the early '00s they realised that they couldn't be overly precious if they were gonna be in it for the long term, so they polished things up. I think the main reason Catastrophe Waitress is my least favourite (besides some crummy songs) is that it was the first 'professional' B&S album. They suddenly started releasing singles from the albums, they toured properly and they did fancy photoshoots. I eventually got over it and haven't lost touch with them since, I guess it's just getting older. They still make good records, and I still get excited by them and buy them on release day.

holyzombiejesus

Quote from: sutin on March 08, 2022, 12:28:35 PMI totally understand and can relate to that. I think in the early '00s they realised that they couldn't be overly precious if they were gonna be in it for the long term, so they polished things up. I think the main reason Catastrophe Waitress is my least favourite (besides some crummy songs) is that it was the first 'professional' B&S album. They suddenly started releasing singles from the albums, they toured properly and they did fancy photoshoots. I eventually got over it and haven't lost touch with them since, I guess it's just getting older. They still make good records, and I still get excited by them and buy them on release day.

I think the increased professionalism / multiple format shit was a condition of Rough Trade signing them. DCW has some ace songs on it although I agree that the SIMOB is dogshit. Wish they could have found a way to get Desperation Made A Fool Of Me fit as that's one of my favourites from that era.

I think TBWTAS was my biggest disappoinment, largely due to the pissy version of Sleep the Clock, which should have been an absolute monster, too much Isobel and coming on the heels of those EPs.

PaulTMA

I've heard the new album and confirm that it is by far their best

sutin

Quote from: PaulTMA on March 08, 2022, 02:00:36 PMI've heard the new album and confirm that it is by far their best

Have you really?

jobotic

I've only seen them once - in Oxford just after If You're Feeling Sinister came out (because I'm that cool/old).

They were great but we queued for ages while an endless procession of gorgeous Glaswegian indie kids went in first, presumably on the guest list. Felt a bit like going to a party where everyone is great mates but you don't know any of them.

They were good though. I bought an incredibly twee t-shirt with a bus on it that even as the streak of piss I was then I could barely fit into.

sutin

Quote from: jobotic on March 08, 2022, 02:36:23 PMThey were good though. I bought an incredibly twee t-shirt with a bus on it that even as the streak of piss I was then I could barely fit into.

I still have that shirt, and I still can't fit into it.

holyzombiejesus

I sold mine on ebay for £££ along with my mugs.

I remember when they played Manchester Town Hall and Katrina and David from Jeepster had travelled up from London with a van full of merchandise. They parked their van outside their B&B in Salford and every single 'Judy and the Dream of Horses' mug (except for one) was nicked out of the back .

A year or so later, I attended a party in Eccles, went to get a glass out of the cupboard only to find it full of those very mugs.

Pranet

I remember when IYFS came out I walked around all the records shops of York where I was student asking them if they had it and was met with blank looks.

The little record shop in my home town had the case but they couldn't find the CD.

QuoteThey were great but we queued for ages while an endless procession of gorgeous Glaswegian indie kids went in first, presumably on the guest list. Felt a bit like going to a party where everyone is great mates but you don't know any of them.

Yeah I think in Stuart Murdoch's ideal world all their fans would look like the woman on the cover of the Wrapped up in Books single.

purlieu

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on March 08, 2022, 12:52:09 PMI think TBWTAS was my biggest disappoinment, largely due to the pissy version of Sleep the Clock, which should have been an absolute monster, too much Isobel and coming on the heels of those EPs.
Yeah, it's got some incredible songs on it but sounds like it was recorded through a soggy paper bag and really loses steam by the end.
Can't get behind the dislike of DCW though. Yeah, 'Office' is pretty naff and 'Caught in Love' is a career low point, but the rest is fabulous. 'Wrapped Up in Books', 'Asleep on a Sunbeam' and 'Stay Loose' are up there with their best, I reckon.
Quote from: Pranet on March 08, 2022, 04:14:10 PMYeah I think in Stuart Murdoch's ideal world all their fans would look like the woman on the cover of the Wrapped up in Books single.
I find his fixation on very young looking '60s model-type women increasingly disturbing the older he gets.

sutin

Quote from: purlieu on March 08, 2022, 06:47:03 PMCan't get behind the dislike of DCW though. Yeah, 'Office' is pretty naff and 'Caught in Love' is a career low point, but the rest is fabulous. 'Wrapped Up in Books', 'Asleep on a Sunbeam' and 'Stay Loose' are up there with their best, I reckon.

Yeah, even though it's my least favourite I still like most of it, including the songs you mentioned (except Stay Loose which i've always found really forgettable).

badaids

Every thing I feel about B&S has already been said in the previous 27 posts. Is there another band that has such a homogenised bunch of fans - everyone feels exactly the same about them.  They've kind of done a sort of Charlie Brooker thing haven't they?

I expect this album will be terrible in the same ways the last 2 were, but I'll still buy it, listen to half of it and then never listen to it ever again.

The only two you need are Tiger Milk and IYFS.

Pranet

Well, I disagree with that. I really like DCW, TLP and WAL. So ner. I listen to them much more than the first two albums. That is partly because I listened to the first two to death at the time and they are very associated with a certain time of my life. But also because I really liked those later albums.

As I said I've not listened to them much recently but that was as much down to me as them.... when I get round to the newer records I might like them might not.