Sinister: Seeing Other Groups

[Nigel Turner]

Very difficult not to get carried away here (though I probably will).  The only other group in the last couple of years or so who've got me as excited as B&S, have been Neutral Milk Hotel, who I'd wager very few on this list have even heard of.  Which is a shame.  I'd rate their '96 lp, "On Avery Island", together with "..Feeling Sinister" as the two best lp's of the 90's. Probably.  Their music's been described as "drone folk", which might not sound too promising,  but ain't too far wide of the mark, especially if you reckon B&S can be labelled "folk".  Like B&S, NMH (as I shall henceforth call them) are centered around a songwriter of some genius, Jeff Mangum, and feature a wide range of musical instruments: banjo, accordian, musical saw (oh yes!  I can't understand anyone needing a Theremin when you can have a musical saw!), as well as the usual guitar, bass, drums, keyboards.  Mangum also has an incredible voice - much harsher than Stuart's - he can hold a note seemingly for ages.  When I saw them at a festival in Providence, Rhode Island in April, they simply exploded into action.  Nothing contrived or pompous, but you just thought....."Yeah, this is what a live band should be like......and, my god, that guy's playing the saw, banjo and synth......at the same time!".  This was exactly how Belle & Sebastian made me feel when I saw them live for the first time, only a couple of months earlier. NMH are American, by the way.  Watch out for them.  I think I probably rambled on for quite enough.  Apart from......

Can also recommend the new Yo La Tengo lp, the new Stereolab album (and their most recent collaboration with Nurse With Wound, which is possibly the best thing they've ever done, imho), almost anything on New York's Asphodel label (DJ Spooky, We, Tipsy - but that's probably a bit left-field for this list), Adventures in Stereo (yet more Glaswegian 60's-influenced pop), Broadcast, The Freed Unit......oh I'll shut up now.

And finally - and back on topic - has anyone else noticed that "A Century Of Fakers" uses the same musical track as "A Century Of Elvis"?

Nigel
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