Customer Reviews: Read 16 more reviews...
  If You're Feeling Literate October 23, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Pop music isn't really a literary medium - only Morrissey at the moment really compares as a lyricist - but straight from their first album, the word-of-mouth success "Tigermilk", Belle and Sebastian's songs were more poetic vignettes than the your run of the mill pop that clogs up the charts and radio like so much musical cholesterol.
In Belle and Sebastian's second album, things are more refined - the musical pallete is more sparse, with none of the electronics that appeared on "Tigermilk" or the subsequent EPs. It's straightforward guitars (accoustic, of course, but also a smattering of jangling electric guitar, as in "Stars of Track and Field"), piano, and some understated orchestration (none of the rich arrangements that would colour their third album, "The Boy With The Arab Strap").
Consequently the voice and lyrics are more to the fore. The atmosphere is of repressed emotion, of provincial shyness, subtle tints of colour and emotion. It's a delicate, touching, setting for lyrics which are suitably bookish and introverted, but often with a stinging ironic twist. The opener, "Stars of Track and Field" sets the tone, an ironic ode to the athletes in school, opening so delicately ad ending on a rousing finale. Meanwhile "Seeing Other People", apparently about a gay relationship of sorts, has a lovely piano opening and an excellent chorus with a double-tracked vocal which just soars. "Fox In The Snow" is a sound-painting, and highly effective at that, whilst "Mayfly" is musically joyous even while the lyrics tell a different story.
However songs in the middle section, like "Get Me Away I'm Dying" and even "If You're Feeling Sinister" just aren't that memorable musically. The lyrical whimsy means they come across as slightly silly, whereas on "Arab Strap" similar whimsies such as "A Spaceboy Dream" are effective, pehaps more through more professional (certainly more effective) production.
The album does end on an effective duet of "The Boy Done Wrong Again", all late-night wistfulness, and the stirring "Judy And The Dream Of Horses" which again starts quietly and builds to a peak, a vision of Judy and her eponymous horses. This always makes me think of that chapter in "The Rainbow", horses as a symbol of masculinity and strength, but here it's the "saddest song" she wrote which is her dream of horses. A nice irony.
Overall this is perhaps the third strongest of Belle and Sebastian's albums, behind "Arab Strap" and "Tigermilk" but ahead of the weary and wary "Fold Your Arms, Child" and "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" which is more professional but less inspired. As always the lyrics are wonderful, the atmosphere touching and poignant, but there aren't quite the consistent strength in the tunes and melodies which so distinguish their finest albums, while some of the songs are nonetheless amongst their best, in particular the opening two.
 Like an old friend October 4, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This was the first Belle & Sebastian album I bought, and to me, it is very special ... none of the others seem somehow as complete. I believe this is the second offering from the Scottish recluses, and the retro-sounding songs, reminiscent of early to mid seventies Al Stewart, are wonderfully catchy, and as easy to settle into as an old pair of slippers.
These simple, gentle, confessional tunes are real growers, and they stay with you long after the CD has gone back in the case. Piano, or guitar based, they are deeply personal, with well observed lyrics sensitively delivered, covering tales of youth and rights of passage and intimate relationships. The romantic bookish imagery creates a yearning whimsy in the listener, and paints a real picture as only songs taken from painful truths can.
And just like an old friend, they reward each time you come back to them with fresh insights. Heartwarming
A contemporary classic! July 4, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is an excellent album, period. Almost for any mood, these guys are some sort of twisted/modern Simon & Garfunkel, but don`t get me wrong they are as original as hell!
The melodies are great, the songs are mainly acoustic / folksy type with simple but perfect arrangements, those that make you want to start living and forget about pretty much anything.
Listen to this fresh music and it'll change your mood - guarantee.
Let the music play!
Stunning! May 3, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is, in my opinion, the best Belle and Sebastian album by far. It is more sure of itself than B&Ss first effort - Tigermilk, but at the same time not as engineered as subsequent albums. The songs are all beautifully crafted from start to finish. For my money the B&S albums all seemed to be a little more special before they were really famous and if you want to get to the core of what makes people fall in love with Belle and Sebastian then this is the album for you. (I also highly reccommend some of the earlier EP's such as Dog on Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane and 3,6,9 Seconds of Light)
Its just amazing August 28, 2004
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
I have been a listener of a few scottish bands over the years.I would be in the fanclub of bands such as Teenage Fanclub,BMX Bandits,cosmic rough riders also belle & sebastian.I am a huge teenage fanclub fan and bmx bandits fan and although many of my friends listened to belle & sebastian i never really gave them much of a look.I call those the dark days.This album is just the bees knees and I can't stress that enough to you the buying public.I am now a big b&s fan and if you enjoy melodic genius then this is your ticket.I believe they are the modern day poets that we are lacking in these days.As they put it themselves "nobody writes them like they used to so it might aswell be me" and they are right.To me the music is beautiful and inventive with brilliantly genius lyrics.I say buy it listen and listen because its definetly a grower.I think most belle & sebastian music grows on you until one day you realise just how good it really is.Top marks and I recommend it to you and your goldfish.
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