10-Song Introductions: Belle and Sebastian

Getting into an artist, especially an established one, is no easy task. There's often a daunting amount of material to sift through, along with the possibility of being called a bandwagon jumper. With this feature, I'll try to introduce you to the best aspects of an artist, with the hope that you'll hear something you like.

1. The State I Am In
This perfect example of Stuart Murdoch's wit and knack for a tune introduced Belle & Sebastian to those lucky enough to have heard "Tigermilk" when it was first released. Besides being the opening track on that no-longer rare, yet still much-coveted, debut album, an earlier demo version appears on the "Dog on Wheels" EP. Both are equally good, although if pressed, I'd have to say the EP version gets my vote.

2. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
A bouncy, upbeat track that sums up the Belle and Sebastian ethos in its opening lines: "Get me away from here I'm dying...paint me a song to set me free...nobody writes them like they used to so it may as well be me." In the hands of a lesser songwriter, such a line could come off as pretentious. With Murdoch, it's more of an 'aww shucks' moment that's helped by a simple fact: it's true.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

3. Sleep the Clock Around
This song has a subtle, insistent momentum to it that's quite unique: Stuart and Isobel Campbell share vocal duties over a bed of keyboards; threadbare, electronic-sounding drums; and some downright weird sounds. This is an interesting tangent for the group, one that they would never duplicate on later recordings. It's a shame, because it's one of their most infectious and endearing pieces.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

Influence Note: "Hooligans on E" by Pete Doherty of The Libertines, particularly the version heard on "The Sailor Sessions", bears an unmistakable resemblance to this song.

4. Dirty Dream #2
This upbeat number is possibly the finest moment on "The Boy with the Arab Strap", with the ensemble trying their hand at soul music. A dramatic, if playful, string section floats over a steady backbeat provided by Richard Colburn. Even with Campbell's sumptuous harmonies further contributing to the romantic musical atmosphere, Murdoch can't help being a little devious: "Could you put a name to someone else's sigh? Could you put a face to someone else's eyes?"

5. String Bean Jean
Another highlight from the excellent "Dog on Wheels" EP, this fits the early Belle and Sebastian mode of Murdoch singing like Nick Drake whilst describing his interactions with an eccentric girl. Of course, if as many beautiful, well-read indie girls with pixie haircuts existed as he would have us believe, the world would be a much more interesting place. As it stands, we'll have to settle for Murdoch's colorful imagination:

She asked me "Do I need to lose a bit of weight?"
And I told her "Don't be stupid 'cause you're looking great"
And I call her String Bean Jean because the label on her jeans says
Seven to eight years old - well that's pretty small

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

6. The Boy Done Wrong Again
When it comes to the best B&S ballad, the possibilities are numerous, but this one probably deserves special mention. "Hang your head in shame and cry your life away", Murdoch sings, and many are probably tempted to think he's singing about his sorry lot in life. But that would be a shallow reading of the song's intent--if anything, Murdoch is tenderly poking fun at himself much like Morrissey did in "Please, Please, Please, Let me Get What I Want":

All I wanted was to sing the saddest songs
If somebody sings along I will be happy now

The woodland spring will put the darkness from your thinking
If this town's your sinking ship
Then you know where to jump

7. Judy and the Dream of Horses
This whimsical jaunt rounds out B&S's masterpiece "If You're Feeling Sinister". Even in a band known for its great trumpet solos, Mick Cooke's part here really stands out. Building from a delicate strum into an undeniable toe-tapper, this is a persuasive example of Murdoch's ability to craft big music from limited means. It's also wickedly funny:

The best looking boys are taken
The best looking boys are staying inside
So Judy, where does that leave you?
Walking the street from morning to night
With a star upon your shoulder lighting up the path that youwalk
With a parrot on your shoulder, saying everything when you talk

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

8. I Know Where the Summer Goes
A simple, easy ballad just like its name suggests, this is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful things Belle & Sebastian ever committed to tape. As a b-side to the "This is Just a Modern Rock Song EP", it also represents a time just before the disastrous end of the band's musical winning streak.

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

9. I Fought in a War
Another album opener, another whispered intro. Being perhaps the only song on "Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant" to climb the heady heights of the band's previous output, this song is both a high point and the beginning of the end. The conclusion of Belle and Sebastian's virtually unparalleled songwriting run unfolds like a slow-motion car crash over the course of "Peasant"; "War", however, is a marvel: a touching story conveyed with a brilliant melody, it's deceptively simple like all the best B&S songs are.


10. Another Sunny Day
As an infectious burst of jangly pop brimming with spot-on three-part harmonies, this song puts most of its musical brethren on "The Life Pursuit" to shame. The band's unsung hero, guitarist Stevie Jackson, really shines here. Murdoch, meanwhile, tells the story of a doomed love affair--from the first moments to its last throes--like very few are capable of. The song ends on a particularly poignant note:


The lovin is a mess; what happened to all of the feeling?
I thought it was for real; babies, rings and fools kneeling
And words of pledging trust and lifetimes stretching forever
So what went wrong? It was a lie, it crumbled apart
Ghost figures of past, present, future haunting the heart

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]

[Band Website]
[Read my review of "Just a Modern Rock Story"]

Belle and Sebastian: She's Losing It

Listen:

[Download the MP3 Here]
[Artist Website]

Thoughts on: Just a Modern Rock Story by Paul Whitelaw

"Ooh, get me away from here, I'm dying
Play me a song to set me free
Nobody writes them like they used to
So it may as well be me"

These lyrics, taken from "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying", sum up the Belle and Sebastian ethos. From their first LP "Tigermilk" to the "This is Just a Modern Rock Song" EP, they produced a string of practically flawless music. Their second album, "If You're Feeling Sinister", is for this writer probably the greatest collection of pure songs ever put together. This semi-official biography by Paul Whitelaw provides the context for that music, including lead songwriter Stuart Murdoch's struggles with health, the direction of his band, and cellist Isobel Campbell.

Stuart Murdoch was an active child and young man, a real live star of track and field, but all this activity would take its toll: at the end of the 80s, he was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was forced to spend a good portion of the best years of his life at home in bed. When he eventually returned to music, the music had to be calm enough so as not to trigger a relapse of the disease. When music writers and fans dismiss the band for being too twee, they might not be aware this fact. That's what makes the band's lighter touch endearing rather than cloying: whatever tweeness they may be guilty of is not an affectation.

Listen to "Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying":

[Download the MP3 Here]

That's not to say that the author believes Belle & Sebastian are twee. Indeed, his impassioned defense of their non-tweeness is a highlight of the book. At the same time, he undermines his argument later in the book by applying the dreaded label to Isobel Campell's early solo work, music so similar to Belle & Sebastian that non-fans would have trouble telling the two apart.

Gentle Waves: "Falling from Grace"

So why is Whitelaw so tough on Isobel? The only possible interpretation seems to be he's following the lead of current band members. This being a semi-official biography, Bel is the subject of some rather harsh personal and musical criticisms, especially from Stuart and guitarist Stevie Jackson. Stuart and Isobel's tortured romance lasted for much of the band's life and put untold stress on the band, so it's entirely natural that people would feel bitter. But there's undoubtedly a small touch of misogyny here, which is honestly the last place I expected to find it.

One of the most valuable portions of the book is the way it puts the album "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" into context. Many Belle & Sebastian fans took the trifecta of the "Legal Man" single, the accompanying press conference, and the subsequent LP "Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant" much like they would the death of a close friend. All of a sudden, one of the most secretive, talented bands in indie music was out in the open looking mediocre at best. "Just a Modern Rock Story" informs the reader that this highly flawed coming-out party was the result of inner-band disfunction: Stuart and Isobel's relationship, a 'too-many-cooks-spoil-the -pot' approach to songwriting, and a desire to create a big sound without actually possessing the production wherewithal to do so.

"Dear Catastrophe Waitress" was the sound of Stuart Murdoch taking the reigns of the group once again. The man who had crafted virtually every song on those brilliant early albums was ready to be a band leader once again. The iconic Trevor Horn was brought in to produce, and the result was a sheen the band had never had before. Yes, it takes time for fans of the older material to get excited about this album. But songs like "Wrapped up in Books" and "If She Wants Me" have an undeniable quality to them, while being obvious descendants of songs heard way back on "Tigermilk".

"Wrapped Up In Books":

So, all told, a worthy biography. It will provide you with a greater appreciation of the band's work, a sense of the often turbulent personal relationships within the group, and a greater optimism for what Belle & Sebastian produce next.