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Belle & Sebastian

Recollection Volume 32 – The Life Pursuit

Recollection is a project to review my record collection. I will listen to an album I own and review it. The album will be chosen randomly by computron. Today computron chooses… Album: The Life Pursuit Artist: Belle & Sebastian Released: 2006 Format(s) I own it on: CD Belle & Sebastian’s 2006 album The Life Pursuit was well into their career. It was over a decade since Stuart Murdoch had put the band together and masterminded Tigermilk, and album that can be best described at “perfect.” By this point, the band had a pretty loyal following, they were sure who they were, and found a way to incorporate the other members in leading roles. Violinist Sarah Martin… Read More »Recollection Volume 32 – The Life Pursuit

The Sadies

TURF Day 4

The Sadies One could write a thousand words about The Sadies, and none would come close to describing what this video shows. Was that good for you, too? The Sadies, as you can see are a country band, with a lot of surf and punk in their hearts. Dallas Good, Travis Good, Mike Belitsky, and Sean Dean always put on an incredible show. Dallas and Travis Good have this schtick where they get close to one another and swap fretboards. Kurt Vile, who joined The Sadies on stage for a song, was watching from the side of the stage, at this point, he pointed at the two Good brothers and… Read More »TURF Day 4

Favourite posts of 2010

I thought I’d go through my year, and see my favourite posts from 2010. This is not a list of my favourite concerts, albums, etc, but rather my favourite posts. Film I don’t know the difference between Iron Man and Iron Giant. The best review ever written. Scott Pilgrim review. Food POUTINE! My first brunch experience at the Old Nick… I now go there weekly… at least. Literature A personal tale about knowing an author, Stacey Fowles, and then reading her novel. I would then embarrass myself by not recognizing her in a future meeting. Reading about Canada & Mr. Diefenbaker. Music Questions about where the groove might actually be.… Read More »Favourite posts of 2010

Belle & Sebastian Write About Love

Belle & Sebastian’s latest record Write About Love was released last month. I’ve had some time to digest it, so here we go, a time to look at what might be the worst Belle & Sebastian album since Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant… I Didn’t See It Coming Like most Belle & Sebastian albums, Write About Love starts off strong with Sarah Martin’s “I Didn’t See It Coming.” This might be the first record of theirs not started with a Stuart Murdoch song. Certainly strange, but the song. It’s a slow moving song with lead vocals by Martin, and backing vocals from Murdoch. The one thing… Read More »Belle & Sebastian Write About Love

Cassettes and Paper

I’m reading zines of old. I came across some zines that were sent to me by a couple of women who played an important part of my teenage years. Nothing like that! You see, back in the ’90s I found for the first time in my life “modern music” which I enjoyed. Before that I was listening exclusively to music of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, a lot of which I still love and listen to, but I found a band who were contemporary that got me going. Through that band I met many great people, and I still continue to meet people because of them. Back in the the… Read More »Cassettes and Paper

I Want The World To Stop

Massey Hall is arguably Canada’s greatest venue. It’s the right size, it’s beautiful to look at1, a perfect location, and most importantly, the sound… the sound is what a great concert should be. Belle & Sebastian, you fucked that up. The sound was muddy, at best. The vocals were buried, and for a band who prides themselves on the harmonies, this is a shame. Chris Geddes’ keyboards could barely be heard and your backing string section was made mute. Then halfway through the set an angel appeared, a bearded, bespectacled man shouted from the fifth row “TURN UP THE VOCALS!” Mick Cooke and Bobby Kildea started in on the opening… Read More »I Want The World To Stop

Lyrics volume 2

For volume one, visit here. Years and years and years ago I made a friend online. A really pretty older woman, who sent me cassettes in the mail, and eventually would go record shopping with me. She showed me the wonder that is Rotate This (I later fell out of love with that place. <3 Criminal), and I showed her the wonders of The Vinyl Museum. One of those cassettes she sent this young boy had a live Velvet Underground record on one side which was enjoyed, but the other side was a masterpiece; If You’re Feeling Sinister. Those ten songs were incredible, and I couldn’t get enough. I bought… Read More »Lyrics volume 2

Top 50 of the Aughts further explained

A list is a list, and it doesn’t really cover what I hope to let people know. If you don’t know me, you won’t know why I chose these records. I thought I’d further explain the top 10. 10) God Help The Girl – God Help The Girl (2009) God Help The Girl is the soundtrack to Stuart Murdoch’s unwritten film. The Belle & Sebastian frontman used the opportunity of a hiatus to record a new record using female vocalists who he wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to work within the stricter environment of a Belle & Sebastian album. The songs are damn good, and Stuart arranges for a wide… Read More »Top 50 of the Aughts further explained

Top 50 Albums of the Aughts

1) Sleater-Kinney – The Woods (2005) 2) The Magnetic Fields – i (2004) 3) Belle & Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) 4) The Flashing Lights – Sweet Release (2001) 5) Neko Case & Her Boyfriends – Furnace Room Lullaby (2000) 6) The Joel Plaskett Emergency – Down At The Khyber (2001) 7) Julie Doiron – Woke Myself Up (2007) 8) Neil Young – Live At Massey Hall 1971 (2007) 9) Valery Gore – Avalanche To Wandering Bear (2008) 10) God Help The Girl – God Help The Girl (2009) 11) Wilco – A Ghost Is Born (2004) 12) Joel Plaskett – Three (2009) 13) Neko Case – Fox Confessor… Read More »Top 50 Albums of the Aughts