G'day Sinister. Boy howdy, that Mark Casarotto, eh? Is there anything he CAN'T do? DON'T MIND ME Well, with a few years under my belt, I'm neither a fresh-faced newcomer, bursting with potential, nor am I a grizzled veteran, who's seen it all before. But I'm going to post anyway, dammit. Here's to the overlooked middle children of Sinister. We've been around long enough for you to decide that you definitely don't want to shag us after all, but not quite long enough for you to have developed a nostalgic fondness for us. We don't promise brand-new, happy, good times, nor do we remind you of your slimmer, prettier, more popular days. In many respects, we're the worst of both worlds. I haven't earned the right to get all nostalgic about the bad old days, nor can I really justify introducing myself. So sod it. I'm just going to post the same rambling load of old bollocks I always do. You've been warned. You should know me just about well enough by now to know roughly what to expect, but not quite well enough yet to actually be interested in any of it. Here goes. RECORD SHOPPING I'm looking forward to the new record. Anti-piracy sentiments aside, I'm waiting to buy it before I hear it, simply because I love going to the store to buy an album that I've been looking forward to, bunging it in the CD player when I get home, sitting down with the liner notes, and really just soaking it all up. Basking in the whole experience of the thing. I'm a shameless consumer, I know. There are only a few records a year that I get to have that experience with these days, though, and I think that number is getting smaller every year. I'm hardly going to deprive myself of this one. Plus, there's something to be said for anticipation, don't you think? My old man (bless his cotton socks) always used to tell me: 'hunger is the best sauce'. As much as I begrudge the admission after all these years, I think the old fart actually has a point after all. SINGLE? Robin Stout wondered what the second single off the album would be. And here am I just wondering why there's even a first single off the album. That's a drastic change of tack, surely? And a slightly worrying one, perhaps? I sort of hope it's something that the new label have forced them into, and not a change of attitude on the part of the band themselves. I used to buy a lot of singles, back in the day, and I used to love finding great little gems of b-sides on them, and I'd claim that the most obscure ones were my favourite songs by the band in question, for added indie-cred. Sometimes I'd even mean it. With some bands, the album that you made up from whacking all of the b-sides together on a C-60 was actually quite a bit better than the one they'd gone to the trouble of putting all on the one disc. I gave up buying most bands' singles some time ago, however, as the ratio of 'killer' to 'filler' b-sides seemed to swing brutally against me. Belle and Sebastian are the last remaining bastion of the genius b-side, I reckon, and I hope that this continues. I like that the singles are self-contained little gems, rather than simply previews or teasers of an album they want you to buy, with a remix or ego track tacked on, as a most bands (even the good ones) seem to be offering lately. I also like that there aren't any repeated songs across the various Belle and Sebastian discs in my collection (well, apart from the two versions of The State I Am In, and most of A Century Of..., I suppose, nitpickers). I realise that the duplication of one song across the two new discs is a relatively minor complaint, but I really do hope that the band's overall attitude towards singles remains the same. Most singles don't stay in rotation nearly as long as their companion albums do, but Belle and Sebastian's are all (yes, even TIJAMRS - what was the witty nickname for that one again?) still essential, and still get wheeled out fairly regularly. Particularly the white one with the stupid title. NO EXIT Miss Madeleine: Sit down, you. You're not going anywhere. You're one of the first people I got to know around these parts, and still one of my absolute favourites. I'll let you in on a little tip - you don't actually have to READ Sinister, just drop us a line every once in a while. At least keep your oar in - you know you'll miss us. Well, not me specifically, but you know, those other people. The better-looking, wittier ones. I bet they'll miss you. SEPTEMBER Some people said some things about September. Well, down here, September is, what, March, in the old money. You know, when it starts to turn Autumnal (what's the adjective for 'Fall', Americans?). My favourite time of year, in fact, you lucky Northern Hemisphere sods. September is actually rather pleasant here at the moment as well, however, as it's starting to warm and brighten up a little, after a particularly bleak winter. The seasons are turning a little late this year, so it's nice to be able to enjoy the change without the pollen and hay fever that usually accompany it. So yeah. Huzzah for September. REPORTING BACK Well, sort of. It wasn't an official Sinister gathering or anything, but it occurred to me that I had four Sinister heads under my roof on the weekend, so that probably warrants a mention. In attendance were: my good lady wife (Julie), the inimitable Trixie Firecracker, and the wind-swept and interesting Miss Marianna, who was stopping by from London on her way to all sorts of far more interesting places than smelly old Melbourne. I think her travel agent has about as solid a grasp of geography as mine does. Anyway, it was a fun time, even though Julie and I had to bow out of joining Misses Trixie and Marianna for a drink the following night as well, due to tiredness resulting from looking at baby animals and chocolate all day. Sorry about that. We're getting old, you see. Marianna: Have a whale of a time, m'dear, and please do tell us all about it. It was grand to see you again. BLIMEY, HE CARRIES ON A BIT, DOESN'T HE? Finally, just a quick shout out to the one and only Amanda Wright, to wish her all the very best in the UK. Knowing the company she's in, I'm sure she'll be as happy as a clam. Bulk love, -Vanilla Flavoured David PS: All of you lot in the UK and Australia are regularly getting drunk and playing Eye Toy, I trust? If not, you should be. _________________________________________________________________ Protect your inbox from harmful viruses with new ninemsn Premium. 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