Generally, I like that they're successful because for once (in a while it seems) they genuinely deserve it. I don't mean because they're nice people (who knows really, I don't) but because the songs are great, the lyrics are great, the music itself is praiseworthy. For once this "pop" music lives up to its etymological roots, 'cause B&S are pretty popular, even straining at the restraints of the "cult hero" label. And that is kind of strange. For me, listening to indiepop for a while makes you think "This stuff could be go over really well with a lot of people" because they're catchy, great melodies, lyrics, whatever. But for some reason or another they fade into obscurity known only to you. Now all of a sudden a band that should be popular is, and that's great. Couldn't have happened to a better band, as they already have proven they've got legs. Still vaunted and have lived up to the hype (while also trying to avoid it, but there's only so much they can do), they've proven that you don't have to be all-out electronic, look back to the early '90s (!) for that good ol' grungy angst (Eve 6 anyone?? Creed???), you don't have to be louder than fuck, you don't have to appeal to the lowest common denominator, you don't have to have a slickly-produced record (B&S stuff is some of the least-compressed sounding stuff I've heard, but it's not muddy or lo-fi neither), you don't have to be mediocre Lilith Fair fare and you don't have to rap to make an impact these days. Whew. Who knows though, there may be some acts out there who could sound like B&S if they didn't have annoying over-the-top voices, if they didn't have awful pretentious lyrics, if they didn't have huge drums, if they didn't the delivery period. And maybe B&S would suck if they had one of these elements. But they don't. I'd hate to think it was contrived or anything but I'm just glad they have a handle on things and haven't gone all sucky. Pardon my eloquence! So basically what I'm saying is, B&S have bucked a lot of trends and started one themselves, which is pretty neat. Now watch for a crop of ten- to twelve piece bands who used to be into swing doing delicate fragile folk-pop and watch the record companies drool (or am I being too cynical here?).:) Oh, great cover art too. Stuff you can put on your wall without looking like a teenybopper (who needs the artists themselves on the cover anyway, eh Morrissey?). Anyway, I'm bored! Can you tell. Xavier -- BXK "It's recess everywhere bkim0@dept.english.upenn.edu but in his heart." http://www.english.upenn.edu/~bkim0 --Ralph Wiggum X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+