Amazon.com

This free-ranging octet from Australia has brought forth their second album and it's a veritable funhouse adventure. Experimental, but gently so, their diverse instrumentation and varied approaches to vocal presentations (theatrical character voices, choirs, rock band exuberance) make for a listening experience akin to someone's perfectly cerebral mix tape. The opening song alone sets the stage for all that follows, constructed like an overture, one theme and setting gives way to another. Much like the parable of three blind men trying to describe an elephant, if three different listeners heard three different songs from this wonderful album, there still would be no complete description possible. --David Greenberger ... Read more

Album Description

At long last, all seven of Belle And Sebastian's "Jeepster" EPs have been collected into a convenient 2-CD set. Often considered their best work, and previously only available as hard-to-find imports or in a box set, the EPs, consisting of 25 songs recorded from 1996-2001, are now available for the price of a single frontline CD. The four tracks from the EP "This Is Just A Modern Rock Song" have never been released in the US before. Also available in a deluxe 3-LP gatefold vinyl set and a deluxe double CD hardbound book. ... Read more

Album Description

Whimsy and preciousness is an integral part of 'If You'reFeeling Sinister', along with clever wit and gentle,intricate arrangements - a wonderful blend of the Smithsand Simon & Garfunkel, to be reductive. A Matador Recordsrelease. ... Read more

Reviews (144)

The best album ever?
This one definitely ranks among the best albums I've ever heard. Each song is perfect pop, each with its own story to tell. "The Stars of Track and Field" is an epic, shimmery opener, "Seeing Other People," propelled by its rollicking Guaraldi-esque piano riff, shows lead singer Stuart Murdoch's clever lyrical wordplay. The real winners on SINISTER, however, are its middle tracks, "Like Dylan in the Movies," "The Fox in the Snow," and "Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying." These 3 songs are so beautiful, with great messages to boot. I guess the best advice I can give is to believe the hype and buy the album. Unless your idea of good music is Britney Spears or Limp Bizkit, SINISTER will easily rank among your favorites.

Mellow, hard, delicate, a wolf in sheeps clothing.....
I first heard this album from a now ex-friend of mine. I was just sitting there in her room for about an hour when I suddenly noticed how lovely the music in the bacground was. Since then I've bought both this album and 'The boy with the arab strap' which is the follow up. The singer, Stuart Murdoch has a sublime and striking voice, the tunes are classic as well as being extremely original and the sheer number of parts in the band means you get songs which constantly reveal new surprises as well. If you're wondering about the title of this review, the lyrics and social commentary that the songs contain are more than enough to punch out from the smooth sounds and the soft singing and makes you think 'these guys are onto something'. They fully deserve the awards they are given, and frankly they deserve many more too. the reason I haven't given this album five stars is because nothings perfect is it? But this album, in its genre, comes pretty close.

Outstanding
This was the first B&S album that I bought and I love it. Tracks 1-7 are flawless and some of the best music you'll get to hear anywhere. Songs 8 and 9 aren't bad songs they just dont stick in your head like the previous do. The last track picks up where the first seven left off. All in all this album is fantastic and very fun to listen to. If you just like good music and great songwriting then pick this one up. There are a variety of intruments used and every song is worthwhile. If you're new to B&S this is THE place to start. ENJOY!

Donovan from the 60's
Anyone remeber Donovan? He had a few hits back in the 60's. Belle and Sebastian sound like today's Donovan. Pretentious! Maybe it is Donovan? Whatever happened to him? He could be doing this stuff today? He was doing this stuff 30 years ago.
I would pass on this, unless you liked Donovan. Well then buy some Donovan...

Pazz

One of the best albums of the past ten years
I had never heard too much about Belle & Sebastian other than a good word and the occasional rave review and didn't give them much thought. I heard 'Like Dylan In The Movies' at a friend's house and had to hear more. This album completely exceeded all of my expectations and made me a permanent fan of the group.

Musically, the album is very folkish, with most acoustic guitars, or clean electric guitars. On some songs ('Seeing Other People', 'The Fox In The Snow') the piano is the dominant instrument. Many of the tracks are also augmented with trumpet melodies ('The Stars Of Track And Field') and gentle string arrangements ('Like Dylan In The Movies', 'The Boy Done Wrong Again'). The lyrics are another high point to this album, they are absolutely fabulous. Sometimes dark, sometimes thoughtful or introspective, and always interesting.

Despite what a few reviews say, this album is not esoteric or difficult. It's actually quite catchy and melodic, even easy on the ears. It's very quirky and has that very Anglo European kinda feel to it. The music is very tonal and really quite simple and pleasing. It's not an album that "scenesters" have to pretend to like, because it easily gets by on its own merits. If you've heard good things about this group, please buy this album, it's well worth it. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Belle and Sebastian follow up the considerable promise of 1997's fantastic If You're Feeling Sinister with an album that is, unbelievably, even better. The Boy with the Arab Strap is an immediately infectious and delicious pastiche of fey, Nick Drake-ian vocals; lilting pop melodies; shimmery arrangements; croony wonder; and tortured, lit-smart lyrics. Belle and Sebastian are smarter than the Smiths, wittier than the Beach Boys, more fun than the Velvet Underground, and even more inscrutable than R.E.M. That's heavy company, but The Boy with the Arab Strap proves they deserve to be belles of the ball. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (136)

It Could Have Been a Brilliant CD
This release from Scotland's twee pop assemblage is less impressive than their previous two releases, 'Tigermilk' and 'If You're Feeling Sinister', but still a remarkably strong record in its subtlety. Most of the album is made up of sweet little nothings that are pleasant and poetic and comforting, but never really stick to you. The opener, "It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career" takes time to build up steam, setting the stage for the rest of the album. Once the first verse is completed, the piano comes in, harmonizing perfectly with Stuart Murdoch's voice, and that's it, you're stuck in this nice, cushy little twee world of strokes and smokes.

The dreary "Seymour Stein", "A Summer Wasting" and "Ease Your Feet in the Sea" barely register, after you've listened to the album. Hooks are there, in the form of Murdoch's voice, but the catchy bits to Bellenseb are always more powerful when they belong to the orchestra of backup musicians. "Sleep the Clock Around" barely escapes this category, but for the circular woodwinds and keyboard chattering that redeems it. "Is It Wicked Not to Care?" (by a female member of the band --- Isabelle Campbell, if I'm not mistaken) and Stevie Jackson's "A Space Boy Dream" (basically a less-interesting take on VU's "The Gift") interrupt the flow of the album, but are still interesting enough not to skip over.

The album hits its stride (almost too late) on the second half, with standout songs in the band's repertoire like "Dirty Dream No. 2", "The Boy with the Arab Strap" and the perfect closer "The Rollercoaster Ride". The ode to finding love in the NYC indie scene, "Chickfactor", isn't especially memorable musically, but the lyrics are impeccable and sweet.

The whole of 'The Boy with the Arab Strap' is greater than the sum of its parts. Only a few songs here are as strong as those on the band's first two full-length works, yet somehow that works to its advantage. It's an album of textured instrumentals and feather-light songs that takes time to appreciate. Sometimes this can be rewarding, but in other parts it can be a fairly fruitless endeavour. If you're a hardcore fan, this record is absolutely essential. Casual fans can preview a few tracks and decide for themselves.

The delightful daydream continues...
Ok...So if you own beautiful precursor to this album 'If you're feeling sinister' you probably bought it at the start of winter and spent the next two months reading and humming along while riding on city buses for a hobby (to borrow a few words from our darling Stuart). Well, all you nerdy woolen-jumper-wearers, here is your album for spring, and possibly for summer too. 'Boy with the arab strap' lacks the lovely British-ness of '...sinister', but more than makes up for it with imaginative, pretty tunes and consistently brilliant lyrics. Of course it's all nice, but there's plenty that's, well, wonderful!!!!! 'Seymour Stein' is a glorious, mini-epic (I particularly love the line about the 'north country girl'!!!) and the title track is irresistable. I could gush all day, but instead will choose to highlight the thorn amongst a dozen roses which is 'A space boy dream'. Electronic music does not gel well with B&S's lovely lyricism (does anyone actually listen to 'Electronic renaissance' on 'Tigermilk') and disturbs the beautiful balance of the rest of the album. This minor quibble aside, this is a gorgeous album, and a must for all daydreamers, scrabble-players and bookworms.

A beautiful album, pure and simple...
When I sit at home on a lazy summer day (bored as usual) there's a certain album that I can just lie in bed and let it take me away into another world. This album is it. I was recently introduced to Belle and Sebastian through a friend, who was listening to their album Dear Catastrophe Waitress. I liked it quite a bit, and decided to explore the band further. The end result was that I found one of my favorite bands of all time. Each song on this album for me is pure bliss, through and through. Poppy yet complex, easy to listen to, and interesting lyrics, all combine together to form a band that is certain not to dissapoint.

Highly recommended

Good "Boy"
Eight-person band Belle & Sebastian prove that pop is not confined to the brainless bubblegum genre. The melancholy melodies of "Boy With the Arab Strap" show Belle & Sebastian at their peak, with their gently complex music and quietly restrained pop songs.

"Arab Strap" starts off with "It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career," an elusive, quirky little tune that builds up from near silence. Following it up is the almost-catchy, percussive "Sleep the Clock Around," the darkly beautiful title track, the wistful "Summer Wasting," the lulling "Seymour Stein" with its magnificently shivery organ, and finally it finishes up with the pretty, downbeat "Rollercoaster Ride."

Nobody makes the sad stuff any prettier than Belle & Sebastian. "Boy With the Arab Strap" is not quite perfect -- "Seymour Stein," despite its lyrical brilliance, has a forgettable little tune, and the lyrics vary wildly. But their work here is certainly enjoyable and beautiful, balancing out the sweetness, the humor, the melancholy, and the coffee-shop-poet dissatisfaction with life.

The songs brim over with vague unhappiness, an ethereal sense of how the world is full of misery. It's best shown in "Boy With the Arab Strap": Stuart Murdoch sings with deceptive perkiness, "Do you ever feel you have gone too far?/Everyone suffers in silence a burden..." Murdoch let the others do several of the songs for this album, which gives a vague, weird feeling of creative unevenness.

Stuart Murdoch does most of the vocals, and his murmuring voice seems perfectly suited to the songs. And the piano and shimmering violin are backed up by the keyboard, organs, jazzy percussion, delicate chimes and little sonic flourishes like a jet going overhead. One highlight is the delicious bagpipe solo in "Sleep the Clock Around," which completely dominates the music.

The dismally lovely music of Belle & Sebastian is in good, though not perfect form on "Boy With the Arab Strap." Best advised for those who dream of dark coffee-houses, and poetry that drips with loneliness.

If this album were a girl, I'd marry her.
I have not been this happy with an album purchase in a long time. I first heard the song "Boy With the Arab Strap" about a month ago. I was at work, and one of the maintenance guys was playing it on a boom box in the basement. I was struck by its beauty, but I dallied in buying the album.

Now that I have it, I wish I'd bought it sooner. Literally every song is memorable. Two are absolutely haunting: "Boy With the Arab Strap" and "Sleep the Clock Around." And here's something else -- it gets better with each listen.

I can really relate to the reviewer who wrote that he would always remember this album as his "summer" album. It actually feels like something from my past, like a children's song -- especially "Rollercoaster Ride." (The first line is straight out of Sesame Street: "Hey people looking out the window at the city below...")

This album is so sweet it makes me want to cry. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Australia's Coolest Band Ever?
Looking throught the other reviews, I notice a lot of references to Belle and Sebastian as well as the twee genre. While the layered production of disperate instruments ranging from trumpet to thumb piano, and soft, harmonized vocals occassionally recall Scotland's finest (I'm really being geographically referential, aren't I?), the music on Fingers Crossed is undeniably its own beast.

Though the music is always honey sweet, Architecture in Helsinki shows a lot of range on this album. Taking the amazon listening samples as examples, "One Heavy February" starts the album on a synthy, new wave note, "Souveniers" is an example of the twee influence, although the dense instrumentation (per the jacket cover, 11 instruments are used) creates a more compelling texture, "Imaginary Ordinary" is a weird haltering song -- undoubtedly the sparcest on the album -- with electronica influences, "Scissor Paper Rock" sounds like a cheesy 70's song thrown together with a cheesy 80's song, and "To and Fro" sounds like The Sea and Cake with orchestral backing.

While the listening samples show the album's range, the real highlights occur later on with pretty songs like "Spring 2008," and groovier, alomst Stereolab-esque songs like "Kindling" and "Where You've Been Hiding."

I personally think this album is awesome, but I give it only four stars, because it is a little schizophrenic. Regardless, I think it would be a great purchase for anyone whose musical interests aren't completely straightforward, so if you're not put off by track one, I think this is probably for you.

Guilty pleasure, in deeper ways than you think
The first time I listened to this was also the moment I picked up Lolita for the first time - a fabulously entertaining read, by the way. This was pure coincidence, but they complemented each other in subject matter. Descriptions of innocent young Lolita fit the first few listens, as both rang with cuteness and cheap appeal, but as I became aware of the evil in Humbert Humbert's desire I became aware that this album was just too cute to be. Here I realized this album's dark heart, the horrible transience of the experience it personified (innocence) and, consequently, the inherently foreboding nature of every broken falsetto, every childish bell. By the time this record became devastating, Humbert Humbert was an emotional wreck. Architecture in Helsinki are pop geniuses and more, delivering syrupy intellectual fulfillment.

21st Century Twee
Finding a happy (perhaps even giddy) medium between baroque and electronic pop, Architecture in Helsinki's debut fuses the multi-instrumentalism and twee mentality of bands like Belle & Sebastian with soothing, trance-inducing analog synths. Admittedly, the album has a questionable start. While the group's female vocalist is very smooth, the childlike, male vocals can be a bit cloying at first. This problem mainly persists throughout the first six tracks which, on the whole, are pleasant, if unimpressive and occasionally too cute. However, 'The Owls Go', the album's seventh track and creative centerpiece, plays out like the opening of some creative floodgate. Blending the group's style with a tighter focus and a handful of sound collages, 'The Owls Go' propels the album into a second half that is nothing short of classic. Toning down the twee-ness of the vocals and constructing songs around tighter melodies, tracks like 'Fumble', 'Kindling', and the album's glorious climax, 'City Calm Down', indicate that Architecture in Helsinki are a promising fresh face in a genre often faulted for its tendency to mine past trends for ideas.

out of left field
This is a record I have listened to again and again. The name alone makes me want to hate it. But it seems to work perfectly at the end of the day. This is their first record. They come off as a Belle and Sebastian type group from Melbourne. They have been honing their unique sound for four years. They are like a school band with an assortment of instruments. They like to combine electronic sounds with great vocals and organic instruments and everyday noise, in songs like "Imaginary Ordinary." The song "Scissor Paper Rock" is more like the Swedish band Cinnamon. "Like A Call" is reminiscent of early Paul McCartney solo, post-Beatles, pre-Wings. This is a great musical band that seems to come out of nowhere every few years. Maybe this is the next Sigur Ros?

Cuteness overload
This is definitely one of the best surprises of 2004, as well as one of the best albums of 2004. The music is overwhelming cute, but sonically sparse. The group uses plenty of different noises, but rarely layers many sounds at once. The music is not so much a wall as it is a series of sounds, vocals, and melodies patiently waiting their turns to meet you. The individual sounds include picked guitar, bells, horns, synths, spare drum programming, and breathy vocals. The male vocals sound a bit forced and goofy, but the female vocals are intoxicating. Awesomely cute female vocals are certainly not new to any fans of Enon, Deerhoof, or any other band with a female singer who has no feminist agenda, but these people know that you can never have enough cute female vocals. Add to the vocals the novel musical backing, and you've got a winner.

The chorus to "Fumble" sounds familiar. Was it used in a commercial? ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Much More than a "Lovefool", underrated in US
This is a nice Swedish Pop/Rock CD with touches of dance/disco. Very undrrated here in US.

Most songs here are very catchy, and happy, but with rather depressing lyrics here and there. "Lovefool" of course was their big hit (very much over-played on radio at that time, and they even performed it live on Beverly Hills 90210 as I can remember), and it's a very nice clubby dance song. "Been It" was also rather popular.

But as I said this album has way more potential hits, like for example "Never Recover", "Step on Me", "Losers", "Great Divide", "Choke" and "Your new cuckoo" (also an upbeat song) are all Great songs with great distinct melodies, and with a lot of Hit Potential.

For a bit darker trip hop sound check out their 1998 album "Gran Turismo".
And for a more down-to-earth simple Pop/rock sound check out their 2002 album "Long gone before daylight" which was recently released in US.

Peter Svensson, I believe, is the composer of all the melodies. A talented man.
It's simply Great Music from a very underrated Swedish band.

To be young again
There's one thing that can certaintly be said about Sweden's the Cardigans : this is a band which was never afraid to be happy . Their debut album " Emmerdale " and 1995's " Life " were stunningly carefree pop albums with so much interpid sweetness that could melt even the coldest heart . Songs like " Our Space " , " Over The Water " , " Carnival " and " Sick And Tired " displayed the personallities of five highly gifted youngsters who loved music and didn't seem to give a damn about hype .

" First Band On The Moon " now is probably their most widely known record yet since it contains " Lovefool " , their biggest hit ever which was included in the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack . Although not by any standards dissapointing , it's clear that some of the magic of the innocence of the early days is gone and replaced by an attitude of some sort , especially on tracks like " Losers " and " Been It " . The sound texture is slightly changed and one can even find some explictic words here and there . Ofcourse the Cardigans were and are talented people and that can be sensed here as well . There are moments of pure pop brilliance like the run-till-you-fade " Never Recover " or that amazing ( from every point of view ) transformation of " Iron Man " . It's just i guess that the band members have grown up...and to be fair you can't expect them to daydream forever .

A few years later the group gave electronica a try with the multidimensional , deeply experimental " Gran Turismo " while in their newest offering " Long Gone Before Daylight " we find them returning back to the basics . All these albums and furthermore their seperate solo projects ( especially Svenningsons' dark and magnificent " I Sing Because Of You " released under the name of Righteous Boy ) are music propositions truly worth exploring . Still those early two ones stand out for picturing with such a beautifully crafted way the joys of... well , being twenty years old again .

Irresistible pop chock full of playful irony
This album is a shining example of the Cardigans' mastery of the retro yet fresh sound they had been churning out since the beginning of their gifted career.
Though known mostly for the hit song "Lovefool", this is no banally sugary collection of candied schlock that so many would assume.
The songs are delightfully subversive with immediately catchy melodies, ingenious arrangements...and despite this, are mostly centered around stories of a woman willingly accepting abuse from a partner who obviously couldn't care less. Tales of the unfortunate, made amusing by the obvious self-depracating quirks of the main character. These songs do include Lovefool, but also the aptly titled "Step on Me", and the song "Heartbreaker" in which a self-proclaimed loser speaks of her willing self-debasement with random men.
Elsewhere, are clever and tounge-in-cheek descriptions of people's feelings about the nature of love, giddy preparations for a "kinky" meeting between new lovers, and a tale of a wary and bitter attitude of hearing a previous lover use the same words on another naïve target.
There isn't one song on here that I couldn't listen to again and again.
With all this plus an amusing yet spot-on cover of Black Sabbath's Iron Man, you can't miss this piece of 90s delight.

Where are they now?
"The Cardigans" were one of those bands that got popular suddenly, and then vanished the same way, in the US anyhow. They have released a few albums, but "First Band On The Moon" was their big one. "Lovefool" was the hit from this, and it was also on the "Romeo And Juliet" soundtrack. The rest of the stuff here is good, and much like that song, happy and 60's sounding. In fact, half these songs could be about death, and you wouldn't know it because the delivery is so pop and catchy. "Been It" and "Step On Me" are good, and there's also a cover of "Iron Man", that people will either love, or shoot themselves over. Anyway, it's a good album, and a nice slice of 1996 alt-pop.

wow... like red raspberry chocolate cake
yeah i thought it was gonna be a typical wash out out record until i popped it in and the monsoons let it shake the floor with it's ubiquidous beats and it took me 4 seconds to realize that i was a fan for the sheer beauty of the waves (nothing else) that were penetrating my ears and i thought to myself why aren't these guys on the front cover of rolling stone maybe because they're far too unique to be portrayed on such symbols of pop culture why else would something so un-T40 ever make it in the music world if it weren't supported by the underdogs who have becomed conditioned to accept the minority in music even though it may not be the best thing out there and there are a listing of terms of conditions for how it should be appreciated not like some floormat that one might step on by sticking it on the radio because who listens to the radio and enjoys it because music is their identity more than the in crowd where they're all wearing the same t-shirt and candycane lipstick and they're all yellow and shining for you like some techno light blinking cos the wiring is telling it to... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tigermilk is simply gorgeous, an unaffected debut equal to the Smiths' finest work, and seemed to arrive fully formed out of nowhere in May 1996. In songs like the pastoral, shimmering "The State I Am In" and the wonderfully naive "We Rule the School," bandleader Stuart Murdoch had already laid the seeds that would later come to such full, poignant fruition on If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy with the Arab Strap. The 10 songs here have such a natural pop sensibility, such a grace and resonance, it's hard now to believe that Tigermilk was only originally intended as a small-time project between seven Glaswegian friends (the original vinyl release was limited to 1,000 copies). Whimsical, surreal, and beautiful, this reissue is well worth the wait. --Everett True ... Read more

Reviews (85)

So beautiful to have this album again
I used to have one of the 1000 vinyl copies this album was released on. I know, I know, you're wondering what happened to it. I worked at a radio station, and the album came in. As per the station's procedures, DJs would take home albums, review them, look for swear words, write capsule reviews, etc.

Anyway, I took home this album. I had never heard of the band (no one else had either) so didn't know what to expect when I put it on my turntable. I was blown away, of course. Pure pop genius. I wrote up an incredible review of the LP, returned it to the station a week later.

I should've kept it. I should've stolen the thing. 6 months later, I was still searching for the album in stores when I found out it was a limited issue. I tear back to the radio station, if only to dub a copy of it for myself. But the album was already gone. Some other lucky DJ had ripped it off.

The intervening years and the intervening B&S albums have left me feeling okay, but with each listen to "Sinister" and "Arab Strap" I told myself - "they've done better." I told my friends that to really appreciate B&S, they had to hear the first album. But when would it get re-released?! "Arab Strap" left me especially cold and I slowly stopped listening to B&S quite as much as I used to.

3 years later and this album is finally reissued. It's like kissing an old girlfriend I had forgotten that I loved. It doesn't leave my CD player. Ever.

Yes - pretentious yet (or is it therefore) really cool
Tigersmilk is the perfect music to listen to in a college dorm room in 2001 - maybe a little high, hung over, or just really tired. It is the kind of music that can be just listened to, or thought about (and one can even obsess over it if need be). A 90's mix of Donovan (funny, kind of nonsensical lyrics, and a wholly silly attitude - plus scottish of course)and the Velvet Underground (soft, almost muted sound) - and they certainly pay homage to their influences. This cd is almost perfect. Yes - some songs are stronger than others (track 3 is amazing - whereas I would say track one falls a bit flatter) on the whole the album is a really strong first work (and the cover of the cd is really cool). While I'd argue that this isn't the strongest album Belle and Sebastian have produced (that is probably Boy with the Arab Strap) it is still a solidly great piece of work.

For anyone who's felt alone...
I adore Belle & Sebastian, but I must say that half of my favorite B&S songs are on this album and the other half are spread throughout the rest of their work. Not that I don't love every other album (with the possible exception of Storytelling), just that every single song on here is infectious, moving, funny, and stays with you a long time after you've stopped playing it. On all the other albums, I find songs that are a little too slight or meandering. But this one is 100%.
'The State I Am In' is one of the few songs I've heard that makes me laugh out loud, and contains some of the wittiest biblical allusions I've ever heard. 'Expectations' should be required listening for every high or middle school kid who thinks no one understands them. "Write a song, I'll sing along" I wish I'd heard it back then: even though I'm a boy, I can relate to every incident in the song. I could really go on and on, but every song is fabulous.
If you're just getting into B&S I highly recommend this album as a starting point.

He took all of my sins, and wrote a pocket novel...
Great album. The rhythm to "Electronic Renaissance" is quite similar to that on Pat Benetar's "Love is a battlefield," which I find quite amusing. Great song. Also a great song is "The State I am in." I love the tambourine in that song when they reference Veronica in the song "Expectations." .
Another great track is "I could be dreaming." I love the way the music is layered at the end of the song and Isobel speaks/reads while the guitar progressively gets louder and louder.

I was surprised...
Belle and Sebastian's 1996 debut still sounds as fresh today as it did when it was released. If anything this proves the band to have been talented beyond their years when they recorded this, and shows that a timeless classic is a timeless classic, no matter whose bathroom it was recorded in...While often accused of being one-dimensional, the strength of this record lies in its diversity. Huge ranges in tempo, style and sound pervade this album, which in all its lo-fi glory is remarkably short.
For me the best song, and the best song they've ever done, is album opener "The State I'm In". As a manifesto and a call to arms it has never been excelled, and as a classic shaggy dog story, I doubt it ever will be! You can almost feel the joy Stuart derives from telling his stories and spitting out his acutely observed and intricate lyrics ("got married in a rush to save a kid from being deported, now she's in love...") and the album's sugar rush is insanely infectious.
The lyrical obsessions with buses, lesbianism and religion are already in place, and the band's charm is allowed to shine through the dodgy production.
This is a warm, heartbreakingly beautiful and affecting record and it deserves your attention.
PS. Listen closely at the start of track two - just before the vocals come in there's a weird noise. It's Stuart self-consciously zipping up his cardigan as he steps up to the mic to sing! How cute!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Just when they seemed sure to fade away into twee-pop irrelevance, this obscure Scottish indie-pop act releases their strongest album in seven years. With lots of help from uber-commercial producer Trevor Horn (ABC, Yes, Pet Shop Boys, t.A.T.u.), singer-songwriter Stuart Murdoch finally gets back to leading his band. It was a nice idea to have everyone else share the vocal spotlight on Fold Your Hands and Storytelling, but wasn't Murdoch's delicate voice so much of what made us all fall in love with the band in the first place? Clearly, Horn understands this, just as he understands that the preciously lo-fi sound had to go. Horn brings every instrument into a crystal-clear, lovingly retro, Top of the Pops clarity. It's their most diverse album by far, from the marching, uptempo(!) drums on "Step Into My Office Baby" (which sounds like Melaniemeets Adam and the Ants) to the fractured, New Wave-organ-driven "Stay Loose" (the close as B&S has come to Talking Heads territory). What a nice surprise. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (123)

very, very, very good
I bought 'If You're Feeling Sinister' when it came out, loved it, then it went into my 'worth keeping, but don't listen to anymore' pile. Just recently I listened to it for the first time in years and I remembered how good it was. I was addicted and needed more so I bought their new album never having heard anything they've done in the meantime.

'Belle & Sebastian + Trevor Horn = Disaster' I thought, but the results are outstanding. The orchestral hooks and arrangements are really dense and have a lot of variety and add a lot of emotion to the excellent songs.

The songwriting itself is almost just as good as 'Sinister'. I only say 'almost' because there are a couple songs (Wrapped Up in Books and You DOn't Send Me Anymore) that, while good, are not up to scratch compared to the rest of the songs. They're such talented songwriters that they can do different styles and their genius never fails to shine through no matter what stylings they use. The melodies are great.

They could easily fall into the goofy, derivative style of Barnaked Ladies where the music is too clever for its own good and it doesn't sound serious or funny, but a bland netherworld in between, a style I really hate. But thankfully they don't sound like that at all.

Some of the songs are pretty sad but there's a sense of optimism and hope on the album as a whole. It's really uplifting. A lot of the songs choke me up a bit they're so beautiful.

All in all they're miles better then anything else I've heard lately. I don't see how people can write this album off like some of the reviews on here. Are they deaf? There's just no way this album merits a mediocre review, let alone a bad one. I only feel thankful there's still a band that wants to make the best music they can and give us an alternative to the bland R&B slop and insincere and vapid moaning of today's trendy rock bands.

After listening to it about five times I'd say I like it more then 'Sinister', or at least as much, or maybe almost as much. Either way, it's an undeniably great album.

More modern pop songs
Fans who enjoy the recent B&S EPs "Jonathan David" and "I'm Waking Up To Us" will probably enjoy this album. If you're looking for something resembling the old stuff -- the novel arrangements, the clever songs, the biting lyrics -- you're not going to find much here worth listening to. The album starts off well with "Step Into My Office, Baby," but by the time you reach "You Don't Send Me" you realize you've been listening to the same "la-la-la" style over and over again for the past 5 tracks.

B&S fans are always most critical when a female leads vocals instead of Stuart Murdoch. "Asleep on a Sunbeam" is bound to attract the same sort of criticism as Isobel Campbell's "Is It Wicked Not To Care" on the near-perfect "Boy with the Arab Strap" album. "Stay Loose" has some of that 80s electric feel. I can't decide whether I like it yet or not, but it does seem to be an odd fit on this album.

It's nice to see that "Lord Anthony" has finally been released. Listen to the first few bars and you'll think you're listening to "...Modern Rock Song."

In retrospect "This is Just a Modern Rock Song" may have been a title better used for this album than that understated EP. This is just a modern pop album. Buy it for the B&S fan who already has everything else. They are nice songs, though derivative and hardly brilliant anymore.

I'm a Cuckoo
Belle and Sebastian, yes, the large band from overseas that have brought us tons of great depressing songs, have created the perfect pop album. Dear Catastrophe Waitress is full of great pop songs. Some of my favorites are I'm A Cuckoo, Step Into My Office, Baby, If She Wants Me, and If You Find Yourself Caught in Love. These songs should get more airplay. Sadly, i don't see that happening any time soon. Anyway, Don't expect a ton of great depressing songs this time around. Expect a fresh, new, and happy Belle and Sebastian. Enjoy.

maybe "too good" for some...
Reading some of the negative reviews of this album, I get the feeling that B&S are probably the band with the most critical fans ever... I couldn't find anything bad or overproduced on this album - it's great just like all their other albums and EPs. And what's wrong with them going a little more mainstream? I think B&S are a band who deserve a lot more success than they got.

Wonderful
This was the first B&S album that I ever bought, based on reccommandations from some indie-rock/pop friends, a purchase I don't regret for an instant. It's nice to see that pop can still be created in a sophisticated and clever fashion, without falling prey to forumula and commercial appeal. A great addition to anyone who like well put together music without any contrived "edginess" to it. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

wow... a rocking album ...
snow patrol are by far Jeepster's best band. for a label known mostly for the twee folk-rock of belle and sebastian and the gentle waves, this is truly a departure (members from each even guest on this album). but snow patrol maintain endearing qualities nonetheless; songs about admiration and love, the lead singer gary lightbody's snivelly voice, and their use of spacey keyboards.

the best songs on this album are the ones that rock the hardest. 'starfighter pilot,' 'nyc,' '100 things you should have done in bed,' 'holy cow,' and, 'sticky teenage twin,' all have blistering grace, all with psychedelic undertones. it's all very over-whelming, since snow patrol have a bizarre originality that sounds like nothing else.

so, for gods sake, buy this album. 'alternative,' music doesn't get much better than this.

Something Irish to perk your ears up
Think of sounds from Ireland and the cliche is either U2 or the Cheiftains. Think of sounds from Belfast and the cliche is bombs, rifle shots and police sirens. Forget the cliches--this is Snow Patrol, and they're like no other Irish band you've ever heard. You might expect angry political commentary ala fellow Belfastians Stiff Little Fingers, or gentle, light pop rock songs ala The Cranberries. Well, forget it. Take one listen to 'Songs For Polar Bears' and you hear a younger, newer Ireland, one that shuns the cliches of political conflict and Celtic culture, plugs in an electric guitar and sings a few good songs. Snow Patrol are the most visible band to come out of Belfast since Kerbdog and Ash, but their sound is much different, more like Sebadoh (to use the cliche)but with more synthesizers. There are a few catchy numbers mixed in among the rest--'Downhill From Here', 'Velocity Girl', 'The Last Shot Ringing In My Ears', 'NYC' and 'I Could Stay Away Forever' make good listening on a rainy afternoon. The rest helps hold this album together, but doesn't really stand out that much. That's okay, though, because in this day and age, bands are disposable if they can only put two or three good songs on an album of 14 tracks. Listen closely, and you hear something happening with the chemistry of this band. As I'm writing this, their second album is awaiting its US release, and sources say new material is developing, and hopefully, Snow Patrol will triumph where other new, promising bands have failed.

seba "snow" doh?
Ok. The title of this review is weird, but I can't help but think this band is the Irish version of the american Lou Barlow outfit "Sebadoh". Snow Patrol are awesome! I was going to buy this record a long time ago, after I read up on it a bit. I finally bought it used at a record store, and now I wish would have purchased it months ago. But the fact remains that I did buy it and now I'm better for it. Sweet, noisy, poppy, loud, soft, sad, melodic, I can go on forever, if I tried, if I tried. buy this now, or buy it used at a good record store, just hear it.

Where does Jeepster get all of these great bands!
I'm not going to lie. Not all of this album is top grade stuff, but the songs that are good, are songs you will love for years to come. This album ranges from drab and annoying to lush and beautiful. I picked up this album just based on the fact that they're label mates with Belle and Sebastian. I was surprised to find that this is an Irish rock band rather than a Scotch folk-pop band. True, this band does rock, but don't think it's going to be grunge Belle and Sebastian as the review below (or above) indicates. They remind me a bit of a post modern Nirvana, but that might be taking things a bit to far. "I Could Stay Away Forever" is my favorite song on the album, and is a gentle and forlorn ballad (hate that word) with the lyrics in their entirety "I could stay away forever/If I tried/If I tried." This song is actually the reason for me writing this review. I just got off the phone with a girl who used to make my heart race, and coincidentally, this song began to play on my stereo. It really hit home, and I know I will forever associate this song with her. Sorry, I'm getting sappy, but I just can't help being a little corny sometimes. Anyway, anyone who wishes rock would have stayed sweet, or is just curious what song could make someone write such a sappy review, buy this album. You won't be disappointed.

It Rocks!
Having heard of them from Jeepster (record label) as the grunge version of Belle And Sebastian, I decided to check them out. I wasn't disappointed. Their sound is very loud and more importantly, very good. Their melodies are superb and the standard is excellent. Although all the tracks are great, check out Starfighter Pilot, Absolute Gravity, NYC, Days Without Paracetamol, One Hundred Things....etc, etc! Snow Patrol should have world domination under their belts when the next album comes out! ... Read more

Album Description

All 3 Import versions of Books packed into 1 handy & very reasonably priced CD.Featuring "Wrapped up in Books" (from Dear Catastrophe Waitress) + 3 new tracks.Also includes lots of enhanced special features. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It's In My iPod
Before a friend of mine left for Paris, he told me to get my hands on this EP.I had to order it off of Amazon, but it was certainly worth the wait.I have to admit that I was a little preoccupied last week and didn't listen to this album immediately--but when I finally did, I was totally enamored by "You're Cover's Blown."

Before I ordered the CD from Amazon, I tried to find a free download (which I nearly never do) from the internet.I obviously didn't find it for free, but what I did find was page upon page of B&S fans bowing down to the glory of this song, most deeming it their favorite song of 2004.

At first listen I already know what they're raving about.

27 play counts later (and climbing), I can't get enough of the catchy beat, the instruments, this boy's voice (it drives me wild)...My favorite part of this song is how it feels like a winding creek: instruments revealed and then they disappear as soon as they've come, a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth voice melody...No two verses sound the same.My favorite backup vocal happens just before the breakdown and well after the first refrain: "ooh bop bop bop" may be my very most favorite background vocal ever invented.

The general mood of the song twists and turns as well.It starts out as a power ballad from the '70s.It winds up into a breakdown that could fit seamlessly into any Quentin Tarantino flick (if you need an example, think of the Kill Bill Vol. 1 commercials featuring Tomayasu Hotei or take your pick from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack), then climaxes into a hauntingly deep and melodic epiphany where you realize this song is worth a second listen, with the lyrics in front of you. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Has to be heard to be believed
After the second or third listening of 'The Way of The Vaselines' it is easy to see why Kurt Cobain loved this band so much. From the instantly recognisable crisp recording of Son Of A Gun, to the slowed down masterpiece that is Dying For It (the blues), this album will be sticking in your head for weeks.

I was very cautious in buying this cd as I had never heard of the Vaselines before in my life, but I now realise it was stupid to feel this way as the justification of spending $14 for something I'd never heard comes from listening to the songs. Way of the Vaselines is a top buy and extremely recommended.

all the stuff and more!!!!!!!!a must buy!!
this is the only real collection of the vaselines to buy.why because its all of the stuff they recorded!!fronted buy eugene kelly the mastermind of fun lazy sonic pop this is a must have for any one that is into the indi music scean kind of a guide book of sorts to what sounds good and what is lame.with a collection that was mostly recored on cheap 4 track recordings or cassetee .after a listen or 2 you will wonder whay like i did how the late kurt cobain got so much influence from this band.(you do of course already know that right).but you will then relise that good music is good no matter how it is recorded or when it was recorded .so if you want to make your music collection happy and most of all your self happy get this one and you will play it for your friends and they will wonder and they will ask that famous question.''is that music you are playing a nirvana bootleg or something''now you are on your way to maybe a minutemen or meat puppets album next...

garage-pop-punk-folk?
Mix Donovan and the Stooges to get The Vaselines. A lot like fellow Scots Jesus and Mary Chain, they mash together the noisiness and "f*ck off" attitude of punk with sweet melodies and the catchy, simplistic tunes of folk and early American rock music (Beach Boys, etc.).

It's a great listen, with some very funny songs. Not to be taken too seriously, as it seems even the band themselves didn't take it too seriously... and that's a good thing. Funny that the self-important grunge movement drew a lot of inspiration from the Vaselines... because I could see 'em sitting back and giggling bemusedly about the whole thing. A bunch of gloomy, angry American kids latching on to such a silly and sunny-sounding (albeit sometimes viciously distorted) band? Who woulda thought?

you think you're a man...
I'd actually give this CD way more than 5 stars, but the man won't let me. Anyway, I found this (quite amazingly) at a used record store and bought it immediately, after I had heard only "Molly's Lips" online. It cost me about $5, but I would pay waaay more if I had to. It's definitely one of my top 10 albums on rotation at the moment and probably will be for a long, long time. BUY IT.

Please Please Give Us What We Want!!!!
Oh Eugene,
Is that really you typing that review of your own music?? Give us more, make it true. We love it so and would love something new.. Anything. This is classic stuff. Get it and be saved!!
Please record more...wherever and however...Eugenuis or Captain America or Vaselines!! With Love, Travis ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Gentle Rain
Hem's "Rabbit Songs" is a beautiful mix of soft gentle melodies that soothe and lull you. At the same time, there's a lyrical edge as in "When I Was Drinking," "When I was with you living it up when the rent was due." Dan Messe's piano on "Halfacre" gives a sweet undulation, "So we carry every sadness with us." "Burying Song" is a lovely instrumental that flits by quickly. Sally Ellyson's vocals are soft and beautiful like a high flying bird on "Betting On Trains," "I held a silver dollar tight inside my fist & let you go." There is a classic feel to "Leave Me Here" with the yin and yang of a happy piano and sad viola. "I got shadows snapping at my tail who say I'm no damn good," Sally sings on "All That I'm Good For," with its feel like a gentle rain. "Idle (The Rabbit Song)" gives a carefree feel, "Gonna waste some time with you & let this world go." Part of the magic Hem creates comes from its sterling attention to the arrangements. On "Stupid Mouth Shut" we hear viola, cello, clarinet, flute, oboe, piano, guitar, and pedal steel guitar! "Lazy Eye" is a sentimental remembrance, "I can still see the hem of your dress." "Salior" is a dreamy float made magical with Tim McCarthy's french horn wafting over the clouds. "Polly's Dress" is a pretty instrumental piano piece. My favorite track is Steve Curtis' "Night Like A River" with the happy pluck of strings, "I could live a long while on the sweetness of her breath." Hem does a great reading on the traditional song "The Cuckoo." The instrumental "Waltz" is a very dear reflective piece with Meese's piano and Heather Zimmerman's violin. The CD concludes with "Horsey," "You float over everyone in your rings and your wing-tip shoes." "Rabbit Songs" is a delightful CD because it is both well done and different; it feels old and new at the same time. This is one for the quiet moments. Enjoy!

Grace and brilliance
Sally Ellyson's heavenly voice, unaccompanied, quietly singing a lilting lullabye opens the masterpiece of an album that is Rabbit Songs.

The remainder of the album paints a haunting picutre with mixed musical influences. If I had to classify, I'd be most tempted to file this one under country, but it's a far cry from Shania Twain. Folk, gentle pop, bluegrass and even some moderate rock all spill into the stew as well.

Ellyson's smooth, almost smoky vocal sings out lilting tales of lost loves ("When I Was Drinking," "Lazy Eye", almost loves ("Stupid Mouth Shut") and current loves ("All That I'm Good For," "Idle"). The lyrics spawn some memorable images ("I'm not so strong out of my shoes / dragging like anchors" - from 'Sailor,' "restless stars through the trees / enough to fall to our knees / make no sound so no one sees" - from 'Idle'), and definitely aren't anything close to bad, but in the same breath, they're not the star of the show.

The music succeeds, more than the lyrics, in creating the albums colour. Most songs rely on a piano and/or acoustic guitar, usually with some gorgeous horns or strings and some light percussion backing them up. "When I Was Drinking," "Horsey" and "All That I'm Good For" have a definite twang to them; "The Cuckoo" could've been on the 'O Brother Where Art Thou' soundtrack; "Leave Me Here," "Sailor" and "Lazy Eye" are sublimely slow numbers and "Stupid Mouth Shut," "Night Like a River" and the absloutely fantastic "Half Acre" have a more folk/pop flavour, through all of which floats the beautiful vocal.

There are also three instrumental tracks. "Burying Song" has some light, plucked guitar, countered with an oboe, a violin, a flute and some piano. "Polly's Dress" is a shy, piano driven number with a supportive string arrangement. "Waltz" is also piano driven with a violin lead and is somwhat somber and moody.

This is not loud, abrasive or anything like that, but if you're a fan of softer music, you'd do well to give this a spin. The band has created a beautiful, haunting peice of work, and I for one, eagerly await their follow-up.

This is a gentle, superb work
5 stars. I don't give many 5 stars out, but this album absolutely deserves it. The music, the lyrics, the singing, the choice of instruments, the muscianship, the melodies: it all comes together to produce, well, just about the richest musical experience I have ever experienced in one sitting, in toto. It's a real delight to listen to, and that experience does not diminish over time.

Just lovely
I bought this album as a present for a friend of mine who loves to sing along with Gillian Welch, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, and the Indigo Girls, but I ended up keeping it for myself.

Saddled firmly in the beautiful space between country, folk, and bluegrass, the meloncholy songs on this album continually please. Sally Ellyson's breezy vocals set the tone for a consistently strong, but delicate album. As far as instrumentation goes, most of the songs are centered on piano or acoustic guitar, but they are wonderfully layered with fiddle, lap steel, and orchestral flourishes. The musicianship is top notch -- and I can't help wondering whether these guys spend more time in Nashville than their stated home of Brooklyn.

The lyrics are simple and heartbroken. Solid for the genre, but neither an asset nor a distraction.

Of the selections Amazon lets you try out, "When I
was Drinking" and "Half Acre" are the most consistent with what the rest of the album has to offer. Give those a listen, and it should be pretty easy to make up your mind. If you're anything like me (or my poor friend who gets no present), Rabbit Songs will become part of your collection.

One small caveat: the reason I gave this album four stars instead of five is because it's not for everyone. If you're into this genre, you'll definitely like it, but I know a lot of people who would be bored or put off by its slowness. Also, there are better albums that are very similar to this one (Gillian Welch's "Soul Journey," for example).

Still, if you like your music like a pretty morning sunrise, go no further.

it doesn't get any better than this
this album is closer to perfect than anything I've ever heard. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The three four-song EPs that Belle and Sebastian released on their own Jeepster label in 1997 are regarded by many fans to be their most enjoyable artifacts, and it's hard to argue. Like a Peel session, there is a looser feel to these recordings; they're less perfectionist than the proper albums they bookend (Tigermilk and Sinister). And this is their charm: Stuart Murdoch and friends augment their preciously fey, orchestral pop with cross-genre elements and two great songs with spoken word on top that remind one of similar experiments conducted by the Mekons in the mid-'80s. The first EP includes an early, pre-Tigermilk demo of "Dog on Wheels," a delicious ditty that sounds like Nick Drake and Burt Bacharach working out a song in a practice space somewhere in Edinburgh. The choice to issue the music in facsimile editions--the only thing new is a piece of cardboard--rather than the single disc onto which they would easily fit seems a tad suspect. But these EPs do capture an unsteady group with great influences and good ideas in the act of transcending that to become one of the 1990s' smartest, most enjoyably decadent pop acts. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Can You Say Bargain? What Are You Waiting For?
I am from Manhattan and one day as I was in a chain record store, another person and I started chatting about music (these things happen all the time in Manhattan). It turned out that both of us were HUGE Belle & Sebastian fans (the lucky sod owned an ORIGINAL copy of "Tigermilk"--I almost mugged him there on the spot! These things happen all the time in Manhattan...LOL. Not really.). When he heard how much I love B&S, he literally dragged me over to the cd singles section and thrust the three original import singles at me and said, "Do yourself a favor." As I didn't even KNOW that B&S had issued the singles at the time (it had been a difficult year), I immediately ran, debit card in hand, to the register and then sat impatiently at work the rest of the day until I could get home and thrust these into the cd player. And then promptly hit the repeat button. My favorite of these three absolutely wonderful, tuneful, whimsical, perfect cd single bonbons is "3...6...9...Seconds of Light" (he preferred "Dog on Wheels" I remember), but all of them are ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSIBLE. And then I think how lucky all you people out there can be to get ALL THREE at one time without having to pay import prices and want to drag you--or your mouse--to the "Put this in my shopping cart" button so you can bliss out yourselves. Now if you will pardon me, I need to hit that repeat button again...

6 out of 5 stars!
I'm sorry, but there is NO better band than Belle & Sebastian. They rule!! I have a 10 disc changer in my car and all 10 are filled with B&S cds, including the three from this box set. I am a 5th grade teacher and I've made my students learn and sing 10 Belle & Sebastian songs, including "belle and sebastian", "chickfactor", "string bean jean" and "le pastie..." I cannot recommend Belle & Sebastian enough! BUY THIS CD SET!

oh my god i'm like totally from like Manhattan so i'm gona..
write a prententious nonsensical review about how smart and intellectual i am because i'm from manhattan. oh my god it's like totally cool to be from manhattan and like go to record stores and talk with people about music because you can like only do that in like manhattan lol omg mdr wtf? anyway, the fact is belle and sebastian are a lovely band and people should check out this cd, not cuz some douche from manhattan said to, but becuz some douche from chicago said to, and i am that douche. pick it up, you won't be disappointed. so enjoy, even tho listening to belle and sebastian might make you think you are more indie rock than the next guy and super cool like the cool people in manhattan...i think they even have starbucks there..it's totally coooooool. thanks people. keep it real and have a lovely day.

This box set made me a fan
I have always heard B+S spoken well of, but pretty much only in indie rock circles which can be kinda stuffy and closed-minded, so I didn't know to put much stock in it. I figured I'd give them a shot when the opportunity presented itself instead of going out of my way. That day came when I saw this box set at a retail store "going out of business sale" and I snapped it up for 4 bucks.

OK- a few things here: best 4 bucks I've spent in a LONG time. I would have gladly paid more than full price for this sucker had I know how great it was. Also, I'm SO angry at myself for waiting so long to get to know this great music! The EP set is only the tip of the iceberg, as they have four or five full-lengths, but I so admire their dedication to the EP format. Each of these (and Jonathan David, which I also got and strongly recommend!) have their own character and flavor.

Major highlight is "Lazy Line Painter Jane" which is the kind of song that could have ruled the airwaves back when Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" was a miserable failure. It reaches such orgasmic heights of Phil Specto-rama, with layer upon layer of sound building and building (AND BUILDING AND BUILDING) around the duet between Stewart and the soulful white girl Monica White. The lyrics are vague in a Stewart kind of way, with enough evocative references to "boys" and "girls" who's lives are potentially altered by the "last bus out of town" to make you buy into this grandiose drama of human feeling without knowing exactly what the hell is going on (Dylan-esque? Yes!) It's a total geek-out! And I just LOVE how that bass line recenters the focus after the first verse, breaks it all down and then builds it back up! You da man, Stewart!

He isn't afraid to bring alot to the party, either. There's a home in this indie-rock for slide guitar, pedal steel guitar, harmonica, violins and strings and synths that sound like violins and strings- and it's deadly sincere. There's no joking around here. The people in charge of making this light and airy music are serious craftsmen and super-talented arrangers. They give a damn about making the best song they can.

I can't wait to absorb more of their music. This is such a great band, and I'd urge people to buy this box set. I found it an incredible way to start in on Belle and Sebastian!

The Essential Belle And Sebastian!
This box set contains three cds all three of which are sure to mystify even non-BAS fans with tracks like Lazy Line Painter Jane, You Made Me Forget My Dreams, String Bean Jean and the very strange but funny Century of Elvis which has this bloke talking about his encounter with Elvis. This box set I think is mainly for the fans of BAS. I am not a fan entirely though I have nearly all of their cds. I highly recommend this box set however get the cd IF YOU'RE FEELING SINISTER first if you are unfamilar with Belle and Sebastian's unique sound. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

All the twee kids have a new hero--Belle & Sebastian front man Stuart Murdoch has replaced Morrissey in their pantheon of kindred spirits. But Murdoch is less Morrissey than Salinger, eschewing the former's moody, self-centered moroseness for the latter's wide-eyed, nostalgic innocence. And while it's easy to get lost in his witty literary narratives and precious brogue, you have to remember that Belle & Sebastian are a sum of their parts, each member contributing to Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant, letting Murdoch shy away from the limelight. That varied palette gives Fold Your Hands Child a wide-ranging expression and subtlety not found on earlier albums. --Tod Nelson ... Read more

Reviews (99)

A good album, but not their best
This is still a wonderful album, don't get me wrong. But I don't think it's possibly b&s weakest album to date. Perhaps it's that Stuart Murdoch lets the other band members have a bit too much say -- the lyrics to "Beyond The Sunrise," "Waiting For The Moon To Rise, " and "Nice Day For A Sulk" just don't manage the usual b&s wit or poignancy. Or perhaps it's due to the overreliance on keyboards and strings, which gives the album too much of a folky feel for my taste. (btw, how can anyone possibly claim that all the albums sound the same?) Nonetheless, this album has some beautiful gems: "Don't Leave The Light On, Baby," "I Fought in a War," and "The Chalet Lines" among them. This album is a most have for fans, but for an introduction to b&s, listen to Tigermilk for its simple beauty, to Sinister for its detached irony, and Arab Strap to hear an eight piece band actually rock.

Lovely...
Belle and Sebastian is one of the very few bands in existence today that is actually good. I don't really think this is one of their best albums, but I'm not about to complain, because it's still wonderful, and if you're tired of all the mediocre crap on the radio that all sounds the same, give this album a try. My favorite tracks are I Fought in a War, The Model, Woman's Realm, Family Tree, and There's Too Much Love. Don't Leave the Light On Baby and The Wrong Girl leave something to be desired, however. All in all, this is definitely worth buying (but The Boy With the Arab Strap is even more worth buying).

Wow, everyone else is so disparaging about this CD!
Yes, this is the first Belle & Sebastien CD I bought but it's also my favourite. It's much more varied than the other CDs which I find kinda boring. The two amazing tracks are "The Model" and my all time favourite "Waiting For The Sun To Rise". I don't really like the jaunty stuff later on (sounds very 60s and musically a bit dull), but the really beautiful arrangements and haunting melodies of these two tracks make up for them twelve-fold - outstanding!

I bet you're making shells back home...
With their fourth album Stuart and the Bellenders are covering familiar ground here. The challenge is, as always, how to move on as a group and yet not leave behind the fans who love your older stuff. Well, as we've seen before, the B&S back catalogue is a struggle; torn between their lo-fi roots and the big production now available to them they end up compromising their sound, trying to recreate the old days in a new environment. This album achieves that better than "The Boy with The Arab Strap" (for me the low point of their entire career), and begins to hint at the changes in store for the future.
FYHCYWLAP is possibly the bleakest album they've released, however it contains some of the best songs they've written. Album opener "I Fought In A War" and the chilling "Chalet Lines" show a real emotional depth that flies in the face of critics that try to peg them as lightweight or twee. "Chalet Lines", with it's tale of date rape at a holiday camp is very difficult to listen to - we're not accustomed to hearing songs with this much power in our power pop records, and the first person narration makes it infinitely more unsettling. The closest analogue I can think of in pop music is the Smiths track "Reel around the Fountain"...
By way of injecting some black comedy into the proceedings the band then follow up this masterpiece on the album with the throwaway, but still pretty, "Nice Day for a sulk", an intentional irony I'm sure, most notable for the attempt to rhyme "sulk" with "milk"...
On the whole it's definitely not the best B&S album ("Beyond the sunrise" alone guarantees that...), but it contains moments to rival any of the others ("The Model") and it should be part of any music fans library.

PS. The Penguin Paperback featured on the cover ("I fought in a War") is entirely fictional.

sunk by democracy
I like Belle & Sebastian in spite of myself. I realize their flaws but at their best (as on "Boy With The Arab Strap") they fill a niche that no other band can, and do it with wit and style.

Unfortunately almost all of that wit and style are missing here. To sum up, the Stuart Murdoch songs on here are pretty good, if very gloomy; not his best but certainly not throwaways. The problem with the Murdoch songs is that they sound a lot like Belle & Sebastian "doing" Belle & Sebastian. That is, there's a certain amount of self-referential, unintentionally self-parodic stuff going on. The lyrics are not as sharp and witty and in some cases the new songs sound like old ones. "Nice Day For A Sulk," in particular, is simply a rewrite of "The Boy With The Arab Strap" slowed down with different lyrics. In short, the Murdoch songs are acceptable but not great.

The songs by the other band members, on the other hand, are largely awful. The guy with the groaning, tuneless voice and the labored classical guitar who does "Beyond the Sunrise" should immediately take up accountancy, BECAUSE I NEVER WANT TO HEAR HIM SING AGAIN. EVER. The Isobel-sung songs are hampered by her voice, which is frankly quite weak, and "Family Tree" is too wispy even to be called twee. It dissolves into inanity before it even reaches your ears. I may be in the minority but I think the band will get along fine without Isobel Campbell.

Overall this album is a real disappointment. It's scattered, unfocused, has at least one truly awful song that never should have been recorded, and even the best material on here is not up to the standards of their earlier work. Don't make this your first Belle & Sebastian purchase, and even if you are a fan, give this one a wide pass. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Get Shonen Knifed!
Looking for a great feel-good record to brighten up your spirits? Then look no further than to this gem by Shonen Knife!

While the orginal line-up has gone their seperate ways, Let's Knife (the group's American debut on this side of the ocean) is perhaps their best record. The trio combines great hooks and amazing arrangments with kooky, humrous lyrics that is sure to get you singing along. Orginally recorded on analog equipment, the CD version of Let's Knife keeps the orginal material intact and gives the listener a crisp, clear sound without the dreaded feeling of the usual over-produced albums we have come accusomed to.

Almost all the tracks are incredible catchy and fun to sing along to. My personal favorites include "Riding on the Rocket" and the unoffical theme song for PETA intitled "Bear Up Bison". "Twist Barbie" gives Aqua's "Barbie Girl" a run for it's money while the moody "Black Bass" is a great chill song. Fans of the Rocky Horror Picture Show will appricate the group's tribute song "Devil House" and travel back in time to when Surf Rock was at it's prime with the incredible intrumental track "Milky Way".

Let's Knife is a great introduction for anyone who is interested in the group. Plus, once you've heard Shonen Knife, you'll be running out to collect the group's entire cataloge. So, if your enjoy the talents of such bands as Primus or Frank Zappa, give Shonen Knife a go and prepare to be blown away!

"Uka boo, Uka boo, everybody uka boo!"
Thoroughly daffy Japanese punk-pop from the only punk-pop band doing anything interesting. This is mainly a re-recording of some of their early singles with the lyrics translated into English, and for old-time fans the updated sound may throw you off. But the better production helps them, and the insanely catchy songs and bubblepunk riffing overcomes any and all initial resistance. For newcomers to the world of Shonen Knife this is a pretty good introduction. Fans of Green Day, the Ramones and the Beatles will find common ground here. How many bands can you say that about? Of course inspirational lyrics about massive consumption of candy and the wisdom of saving the buffalo from extinction (despite its ugliness) don't hurt anything either. Peace, Love and Shonen Knife!

I would give it 3 1/2 but it wasnt an option
This is crazy...I like it! I dont think that I have ever heard anything like this. Its a little creepy but I love that. I think that I will buy it. This is the type of music that has to grow on u but once it does your hooked. I first heard this lyrical threesome on the Parent Trap remake soundtrack that I bought in 5th grade....Glad I did....

If I Could Give This 10 Stars, I'd Give It 20!
The best way to describe this band's sound is a blend of 50's girl group/60's Rock and Roll/Modern-day Alternative. Shonen Knife have really created something special with this album. It still sounds great after over 10 years, and not at all dated. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you think, and it has something for everyone! Best songs are "Riding on the Rocket", "Black Bass" and "I Am a Cat", and the rampaging punk of "Antonio Baka Guy" is well worth the listen too. Buy this album, you will not regret it.

Ten years later, this album still rocks
This is one of the more unusual bits of alternative rock to emerge in the US in the early 1990s but ten years later, it's still a brilliant album. Great tracks to hear: Get The Wow, Insect Collector and the bizarre Devil House (what movie were they watching?) If you like Ramones-like guitars, strange lyrics and unusual vocals, get this album. It'll keep rocking for another ten years! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a great, wide-ranging double mix CD of indie pop, rock, electronic and hip-hop. Typically, great musicians have great musical taste, and most fans would like nothing better than to hang out with their favorite musicians just listening to music. That’s generally not an option, or one that if pursued will lead to a restraining order. Artist-curated mixes are the next best thing then, from downtempo affairs such as the "Another Late Night" and "Back To Mine" series to a point of purchase discs sold in coffee shops. Scottish group Snow Patrol’s star is on the rise and rightly so – their brand of breathy, dramatic indie-rock trumps nearly anyone else doing the same thing. Many of the artists on The Trip are bound to be unfamiliar, even to crate-digging daily Pitchfork readers: Emperor Machine, Sir Drew, The Knife, Seelenluft, Feist, Dear Huth, Harco Pront. It’s moody and experimental but it’s accessible too. What they all share is as much of a love for melody as for invention. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Trip worth taking
Grandaddy's done it. So have the Flaming Lips. Not to mention, of course, the Super Furry Animals, Nightmares on Wax, Kid Loco, Zero 7, Rae & Christian, Turin Brakes, and countless other bands that aren't as well-known as they deserve to be.

It's not a new thing to have mix CDs by various popular indie bands, which simultaneously pay tribute to musical influences and personal favorites, and give fans some new bands to pursue. But Scottish indierock band Snow Patrol outdoes itself with the double-disc mix "The Trip," which has a staggering number of little-known bands.

Their latest album "Final Straw" often echoes with T.Rex, Coldplay, My Bloody Valentine and Idlewild, but none of those bands are found on this magnificent mix album. There are some indie staples, however, such as the Beastie Boys, TV on the Radio, the Shins, and Rilo Kiley. No problem -- these guys have good taste.

But there are also an abundance of bands that few have heard of: the offbeat lo-fi Cocorosie, the soft folky Iain Archer, the sparkly pop of Mum, the languid indierock of Joy Zipper, the funky Sir Drew, smooth Seelenluft, fuzz'n'blips of Hot Chip, and even some rarities like Feist's sultrily catchy indierock (which is currently only available as an import).

Whatever you think of the Scottish band's actual music -- which I happen to adore -- it's clear that Snow Patrol has excellent musical taste. Not every choice is ideal, I must admit: Secret Machines' drawling "Road Leads Where It's Led" was one of the few songs that failed to tickle my fancy.

In general, however, their musical taste is essentially impeccable. These guys run the musical gamut from electronica to Icelandic pop to hip-hop to gritty indie rock'n'roll. It's marvelously eclectic, and certainly speaks well of what these guys listen to in their cars. Except for perhaps the Shins and TV on the Radio, not a single song is "obvious."

"The Trip" has a threefold effect: It pays tribute to some underrated bands that helped shape Snow Patrol, it introduces the band's fans to those same underrated bands... and it's a marvelous listen. Definitely worth getting. ... Read more

Album Description

Four track EP with NONE of the cuts available on the folky Scottish indie pop group's acclaimed 1998 album 'The Boy With The Arab Strap'. Contains the 7:18 minute long 'This IsJust A Modern Rock Song', plus 'The Gate' (with Isobel Campbell guesting on vocals), 'I Know Where The Summer Goes' & 'Slow Graffiti', their contribution to the Irvine 'Trainspotting' Welsh-penned film 'The Acid House'. Standardjewel case. 1998 Jeepster Recordings release. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Belle & Sebastian's best E.P. to date.
You can never go wrong with Belle & Sebastian. With every release, I find myself saying "This is better then their last" and they have not made one bad release yet (If you disclude the horrid side projects). With "This Is Just A Modern Rock Song", we see the group exploring different aspects of folk and writing their best lyrics yet. People like me who thought "If You're Feeling Sinister" was their best album will definitely enjoy this E.P.

The E.P. opens with the title track, a slow paced western folk song which contains my favorite vocals in Belle & Sebastian and favorite lyric "I am not as sad as Dostoevsky, I'm not as clever as Mark Twain". This song represents how beautiful and grand a song can be with little effort. Primo production work. Next is "I Know Where The Summer Goes" with its church based organ and one beat drums sending you to a nice summer day. "The Gate" which features Isobel's vocals is even better then her vocal debut on "Is It Wicked Not To Care?" on their 1998 album "The Boy With The Arab Strap". I aboustley love the piano and trumpet section, the kind of heavenly movement that one might expect from Handel. The ending is the main reward, "Slow Graffiti", one of my favorite Belle & Sebastian tracks. Stuart's melancholy vocals over a lonely piano and echoing guitars.

As I say everytime I mention a Belle & Sebastian release, get everything you can by them! However this E.P. remains my favorite out of the rest because it touches all the musical aspects of Belle & Sebastian and has the feel and pleasure of a full length album.

The atmosphere Belle and Sebastian created is undescribible
I go to NY a lot. My friends, whom I stay were big on Belle and Sebastian. At first I wasn't sure what to think. I knew there was something about them that was great but on the other hand i wasn't sure if it warrented spending a lot of money on their CD's. I eventually became conviced that it was time to purchase "The Boy With the Arab Strap" - and I wasn't disappointed. This album from the beginning to end is amazing. Soon after i bought the single "This is Just a Modern Rock Song". This song is 7 min. of brilliance. Belle and sebastian create an atmosphere that can't be described. Their music is sophisticated but yet, so easy to listen to. For whatever you do Belle and Sebastian's Cd's are great to have. I had tickets to a show in Toronto - but unfortunately it was cancelled. If you have chance to go see them I would b/c I hear they put on an amazing show.

Epic Rock
The Beatles had "Hey Jude". The Rolling Stones had "You Can't Always Get What You Want". The Smiths had "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore". Soft Cell had "Tainted Love". Wham had "Careless Whispers".

And Belle & Sebastian, thankfully, have "This Is Just A Modern Rock Song". There is simply no reason to attempt living without this excellent single.

Amazing as Always
What can I say? This band rocks!

too cool for words.

Belle & Sebastian at the height
Coming off of Boy with the Arab Strap, this is Belle & Sebastian at their finest moment. Four perfectly produced songs, each expressing a different ideal of indie-pop glory. ... Read more