Tag Archives: Belle and Sebastian

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Song of the Day #6,606a: ‘Act of the Apostle’ – Belle and Sebastian

Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 2006…

#1 – The Life Pursuit – Belle and Sebastian

My favorite 2006 album is one of my favorite releases by one of my favorite artists, and therefore a shoo-in for this spot.

After four gentle indie pop releases between the mid-90s and 2000, Scottish septet Belle and Sebastian entered the 2000s with the goal of expanding their sound. Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) was their first foray into a more upbeat electronic territory, and The Life Pursuit continued that evolution.

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Song of the Day #6,410: ‘Mayfly’ – Belle and Sebastian

Concluding a countdown of my favorite albums of 1996…

#1 – If You’re Feeling Sinister – Belle and Sebastian

Before I get to my best album of 1996, I want to mention Belle and Sebastian’s debut album, Tigermilk, which came out earlier the same year. That great release would easily have a spot in my top ten but I decided to leave room for other artists.

It’s remarkable that the Scottish septet recorded both that album and If You’re Feeling Sinister in the span of a few months. Talk about a burst of creative genius. I love those productive early years in a band’s history when classic songs just pour out.

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Song of the Day #5,064: ‘Young and Stupid’ – Belle and Sebastian

Not too long ago, a new Belle and Sebastian album would have been cause for a massive celebration in these parts. I’ve counted the Scottish indie band among my very favorites since I first heard their music in the late 90s.

I was thrilled by all of the band’s (non-soundtrack) studio releases through 2015, when Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance dropped and continued their run of smart, sensitive baroque pop.

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Song of the Day #5,035: ‘Storytelling’ – Belle and Sebastian

It’s a rare Random Weekend twofer, with Belle and Sebastian making an encore appearance.

The selections line up chronologically as well. Yesterday’s song came from a 2001 single, while today’s SOTD appears on the band’s next project, the soundtrack to the 2002 Todd Solondz film Storytelling.

The band and director didn’t work well together, and only six minutes of their music wound up in the finished film.

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Song of the Day #5,034: ‘The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner’ – Belle and Sebastian

Today’s track is the B-side (if such a thing exists in the digital world) to Belle and Sebastian’s 2001 CD single ‘Jonathan David.’

The song’s title is a play on the British short story and film The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, and the lyrics reference some of that story’s plot points and themes.

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