No Belle and Sebastian content here. Just some comments on the, ahem, issues of the day.

Anyone who hasn't heard the Femmes
eponymous first album should definitely do so. Very acoustic, but with a
great raw edge.

I was pretty shocked to read this, but then I noticed the "uk" in the email address and suddenly it all made sense. Apparently, this album is not so well known outside of the US. You'd have a tough time finding a white American between the ages of 18 and 30 who doesn't know the mid section of "Kiss Off" by heart.

i personally find it offensive when all black music of whatever genre is
labelled r&b or (much worse) "urban".

I have NEVER heard anyone categorize "all black music of whatever genre" as R&B. The label of "R&B" was applied to be more inclusive of a particular kind of music. In Billboard, there used to be "Black" charts, which they wisely changed to R&B when they noticed George Michael (he's white, you know) at the top of the Black Album chart.

The term "black music" is innacurate...music should always be defined by its sound, not by who is making it. What is Jamiroquai? Or Living Colour? Or Chocalate Genius? Or Tracy Chapman? Are the Beastie Boys hip-hop and the Wu-Tang Clan black music? It doesn't make any sense. I guess we should start putting Neal McCoy, Nat King Cole, Ghostface Killah and TLC in the same section of the record store. And you'd never find a store that would put those all in the R&B section.

As far as the term "urban" goes, that's just a demographic. And it's pretty much impossible to argue with. The markets for R&B and hip-hop are overwhelmingly in urban areas. That's all it is. The facts, ma'am.

But what do I know? I just shop in the "White Music" section of the record store where Belle & Sebastian are cozied up with Metallica and Shania Twain.

Snow white,
Reid

Oh, and I'd just like to nominate Richard Colburn as King of the Snare Fill. Sure, he relies on brushes a little too much, but damn if he can't crank the snare when needs a good cranking.

--
"I dreamt I had to go to Mars. I'm always getting on about going to Mars through the day, but faced with the reality of it, in a dream, I was terrified."
-Stuart David