OK, so it's been a while since I last posted ... probably six months since a pithy post asking for Melbourne listees to recommend record stores, which culminated in a trans-Tasman Sinist*r picnic on a lovely sunny day in early April. (Hi Amy, Helen, Jim and Neil ...) Before that ... well, jeeze, nothing since the end of 2001, IÕm sorry. OK, I'm rambling already, but this is Sinist*r, so I guess that's allowed. Besides, I need to ease into this, as one eases oneself into a hot bath. Slowly, gently, but purposefully. (And trying not to burn ones nads.) For those who fail to remember me, or joined since I went into exile, I'm Lawrence, from New Zealand, and I used to be pretty vocal on the list, back in 2000/2001. I would like to say that my rapid decline in posts over the last few years had something to do with exciting developments in my life. I did get married (where "I Could Be Dreaming" probably got it's first public airing on these fair shores thanks to a certain other listee, Scott Mannion) but really, I just never get to use the computer now 'cause Vanessa's (end result of above-mentioned marriage) is always on it writing essays and doing some sort of research or other. (sigh). I still read the posts, but ... well, as Morrissey said, "these things take time." Anyway ... it's nice to be back. What's even nicer, though, is for Belle & Sebastian to be back, and this, really, is what's given me the boot up the arse to post again. I should say that I loved "Fold Your Hands Child ..." and always get a bit annoyed when people slag it off. It's a great record, as were the two '01 singles. "Jonathan David" is still probably my most played B&S record ever, and never fails to rally me, no matter the state that I am in. However ... I was a bit disappointed with both "Storytelling" and "Fold Your Hands Child ..." in one respect, and that was the Stuart seemed to be taking more of a back seat in the band it's not that I don't like Stevie or Sarah or Isobel's songs, it's just that, for me at least, Stuart is the "x-factor" which makes the band so great, and it worried me that he was contributing fewer songs. But now I can shout from the rooftops STUART MURDOCH IS BACK! My God, and how ...

From the second I put the new album on on Monday, I was completely overwhelmed with just how amazing it sounded. The songs, the production, the lyrics É After only half a dozen listens I declare it to be my favourite B&S album of all time and I canÕt stop playing it.

Something I found quite interesting was the quite overtly Christian/religious overtones of a lot of Stuart's lyrics. This has always been there to some extent in the past, but lines like "I know I need My Shepherd here tonight" are the most overt he's ever written. Does this interest anyone? 'Cause if it does, I'm think about writing a short article called "Belle & The Bible", which will reference all the Biblical allusions in B&S songs. If anyone is even remotely interested in this (either reading or helping out) email me off list. I think it's quite interesting, but can understand that, from 99% of listees, it's probably not that interesting at all É Anyway, nice to be back ... and "hi" everyone, Lawrence +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "peculiarly deranged fanbase" +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "frighteningly named Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +-+ "sick posse of f**ked in the head psycho-fans" - NME June 2001 +-+ +-+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +-+ +-+ Snipp snapp snut, sa var sagan slut! +-+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+