*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Hey kids! My dad reads the Times - this is the review from the Metro section today: " [picture] BELLE & SEBASTIAN The Boy with the Arab Strap (Jeepster) BELLE AND Sebastian are an elegant construction. They combine the dextrous instrumentation of Tindersticks, the evocative lyricisim of the Go Betweens and the pastoral melancholy of Nick Drake. And they are often breathtakingly beautiful, as proved on 1997's three EPs, which featured the stunning Lazy Line Painter Jane. Despite shunning publicity, they have built themselves a loyal following. While their second (? - jon) album doesn't quite reach the heights of the EPs, the consistent songwriting will keep the fans happy and ensnare more. Seymour Stein, for instance, is lazily luscious, and the rumbustious folk Motown of Dirty Dream Number Two infectious. And the way the title track lifts the opening of Queen's Crazy Little Thing Called Love before embarking on a tale of seedy sex is delicious. Paul Connolly " The metro section is regional, so the nottingham gig is not featured in my copy, but if you look on the website: " The Big Gig BELLE & SEBASTIAN IF YOU are not familiar with the music of Belle & Sebastian (above), this Scottish group is not going to help you out much. They seem bemused by publicity and do not do anything to help sell their calm, fertile music which follows the same path as bands such as Teenage Fanclub, Jesus and Mary Chain, Arab Strap and Mogwai. It may sound like a cliché, but you only need to listen to their new album, The Boy With the Arab Strap, out on Monday on Jeepster records, to feel included in their post-folk music. And their appeal is growing: the date at the 2,000-capacity Shepherds Bush Empire sold out two weeks ago. The band are currently planning another, massive London gig in a location to cope with their large volume of fans. This is the future; groups who put themselves, and their music, ahead of the machinations of the music industry hype machine. CHARLIE PORTER Marcus Garley Centre, Nottingham, September 5, 7pm, £9 (0115-915 0025); Shepherds Bush Empire, London, September 7, 7pm, sold out (0171-771 2000) " The Telegraph wrote: " Belle and Sebastian Whimsical seven-piece ensemble from Glasgow, with a small but evangelical following; their music is an abnormally quiet amalgam of disparate influences. Marcus Garvey Centre, Nottingham (0115 942 0281), today; Shepherd's Bush Empire, London W12 (0181-740 7474), Mon. " So there you go. See you Nottingham hipsters later, There's not going to be a hurricane anymore. which is nice. love jon g. jon.g@btinternet.com - http://surf.to/jongandbethey +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+