The title track from Belle & Sebastian’s third studio album, 1998’s The Boy With the Arab Strap, is a quintessential B&S song. It’s delicate, quietly rollicking, precious but snarky, unmistakably the work of this wonderful, improbable band.
Lead singer/songwriter Stuart Murdoch took the “Arab Strap” reference in this song from a Scottish band of the same name. He didn’t realize it referred to a device used by men to maintain erections.
Wrapping up a rather mediocre batch of ‘What the Kids are Listening To’ is this week’s Billboard #19, Hailee Steinfeld’s ‘Starving.’ Not a bad way to go out, I guess.
As I write this, I’m heading out shortly to watch Edge of Seventeen, which I fully expect to enjoy. I was in awe of Steinfeld in her first major performance, her Oscar-nominated turn in the Coen Brothers’ True Grit. She’s without question a fine actress.
Coming in at #18 is ‘Caroline’ by Amine. I guess this is what passes for a love song these days.
These guys are so thoroughly unambitious that they didn’t even bother writing a second verse but instead just repeat the first one.
How do songs so utterly lacking in creativity and nuance consistently make it this high on the charts?
It’s back-to-back Drake, this time as the lead artist following his supporting turn on the stinker ‘Used to This.’
Drake’s ‘Fake Love’ sits at #17 following Sia’s ‘Cheap Thrills’ at #15 and Justin Timberlake’s ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ (Song of the Summer?) still hanging on at #16.
I’m not a Drake fan. My daughter is into his latest album but everything I’ve heard is monotonous and silly. I assume this track is from that album so my hopes aren’t high.
We have two more repeats at #12 and #13 of Billboard’s chart this week, Major Lazer’s ‘Cold Water’ and Shawn Mendes’ ‘Treat You Better,’ respectively. In the 14th spot is a cut by rapper Future, with an assist by Drake.
‘Used to This’ is a horrible song. Lyrically, it’s inane selg-congratulatory crap. How many times can rap artists brag about money and cars before they realize it’s ridiculous? Or is there some deep irony at work here that I’m missing?
Meet Me In Montauk 