The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir: I Never Thought I Could Feel This Way For A Boy (Bloodshot, 2007)I have spent years developing and refining a deep-seated dislike of Belle And Sebastian and everything they stand for. So you can imagine my mixed feelings on receiving this new album from some young shavers from Chicago who clearly think B&S are ace. This is proper, rattley indie-pop like how they used to make in the olden days and it makes me feel glad to be alive every time I hear it.
Bloody bastards...
13 comments:
Perhaps you dislike what you perceive B+S stand for more than you actually dislike their music. If you could only divorce the public perception (that is, a rather hackneyed, bullying, rockist and often homophobic treatment of the band and its fans by an out-of-touch media), you might find you like their music. They have, of course, been going for 11 years now and have changed during that time, so you might have to wrestle with what period of B+S it is you actually like (unless you think it all sounds the same and is worthy only of your derision? In which case, QED.).
I think, if truth be told, my dislike is more to do with some people I knew who were huge fans who I just kind of found unbearable. So, consequently, I disliked the band. Not fair, is it? But this track makes it all alright. Do you really think the "out of touch" media is "bullying and rockist"? I've only ever seen them get raves...
No, it’s not fair, but music being a music fan is all about harbouring irrational likes and dislikes. However, this is not to excuse the curious behaviour of some B+S fans who have twisted their fandom into a parody.
There is still a fair amount of kicking in reviews, although they are generally positive these days (maybe we should overlook the fact that B+S have been going downhill since the second album in the autumn of 96). Perhaps their better notices have something to do with selling more records. Maybe, too, the influence of Rough Trade and Matador on editorial boards is being felt.
I do think there is still an element of rockist bullying in the media, yes. If you’ve got the time to read it, I deal with the matter in this post:
http://fireescapetalking.blogspot.com/2006/07/anoraky-in-uk-c86-punk-that-refuses-to.html#links
OOh, I'm liking this when "indie kids attack" on Five 7.15pm tonight..
All over Britain they are choking on their tea, putting on their quilted anoraks, checking their hair slides and badges are straight, picking up their Albert Camus ready to defend the helpless Belle and Sebastian be afraid. I like the one off "teachers" and the about "a dog on wheels", and Looper where fun for a bit, but BS have been a bit rubbish for while. Is a "rockist" something to do with the moon landings?
If I didn't know better, BLTP, I'd think you were deliberately trying to upset FE.
You see the kind of hectoring and stereotyping just a mention of B+S can inspire in less cultured minds?
Camus is probably more accurately applied to The Cure and The Fall. Still, as rockists and aspects of the media have proven over the years, "stupidity has a knack of getting its way" (Camus).
I should add that, as a member of the out of touch media, Rough Trade and Matador (both of whom I've worked for, in roundabout sorts of ways) have very little influence on any editorial board I've ever been party to.
Steady on, I'm not accusing you of being "out of touch". My point is merely that certain very traditional elements of the music press retain rather old-fashioned views.
I'm surprised that Rough Trade's advertising budget never influenced opinion, but I suppose there was never a B+S front cover to bargain with anyway.
FE! I was only playing with you - there was no need to BREAK THE INTERNET!
*cries*
I resisted B&S for years because all I heard was how marvellous they were meant to be and I couldn't believe they'd ever live up to the hype.
Then someone popped Lazy Line Painter Jane on a tape for me and I've never looked back.
They're actually very different sounding to what I'd always imagined.
Nice blog by the way. Those recipes!
Oi, Five Centres. You're linked, pal
I like this game let's have Camus quote of the day
" Martyrs, my friend, have to choose between being forgotten, mocked or used. As for being understood - never"
All this fuss about a bunch of Irn bru botherers now if we were discussing CUD that would be different....
Straight up, guv, it wasn't me. I've had a crack team of eggheads and boffins working on mending the world wide web (the office's janitorial team, but they're all PhD Computer Scientists from EU accession states) and it's fixed now.
By the way, if you don't like Tigermilk, don't buy (or blag) the first SYGC album as it's rather "similar" in places.
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