Sinister: Two Or Three Things I Know About The New Album

[EliotNew at xxx.com]

Having sat with ears wide shut to everything except 'Fold Your Hands 
Child..." over the last several days (well, and Nico's 'These Days') I 
thought I would leave a few brief notes on the songs for those who have not 
heard the album yet.  Mind, this is not a list of my most complicated 
thoughts, just a few remarks to provide a feel for the songs.  

I Fought In A War-
      The loneliness of the long distance soldier. The band heads to the 
battlefield on the opening mini-epic and is very successful.  Solemn and 
effectively folky, doesn't not remind me of Phil Ochs.  Contains the 
beautiful image "I bet you're making shells back home/ For a steady boy to 
wear/ Around his neck well it won't hurt to think of you/ As if you're 
waiting for this letter to arrive/ Because I'll be here quite a while."

The Model-
     The familiar piano rollick of Charlie Brown winds through this tune, 
which could have appeared comfortably on any of B&S's records so far.  
Stevie's vocals appear here for the first of many times on the album.  More 
lyrics to sing along with: "Dream of all the bully kids that hang around you/ 
I'm no different from the rest/ I'm not too proud to say that I'm o.k./ With 
the girl next door who's famous/ For showing her chest."  Or is it Bowlie 
kids? 

Beyond The Sunrise-
     Campfire song sees Lou Reed singing from the sagebrush.  Singer I do not 
know does a slight  Crash Test Dummies imitation in the cadence of Johnny 
Cash.  Spare instrumentals emphasizing audible acoustic chord changes.  
Isobel's slight vocals duet.  Stuart's voice is only a ghostly "oh-oh" from 
ten rows back.  D-e-l-i-c-a-t-e.

Waiting For The Moon To Rise-
     Isobel's second consecutive song about celestial risings.  This one more 
successful.  Her singing here is different than usual in a good way.  For 
some reason I see playing this while squinting into a late evening summer sun 
while driving along the ocean into Santa Barbara.  Will anyone know what I 
mean?  Marianne Faithfull's 'Come And Stay With Me' brought to mind. 

Don't Leave The Light On Baby-
     Somehow will be sampled by The Beastie Boys for an album intro or outro. 
 Leisurely paced tune about a weary day/ life.  "His ship came in/ I'm 
standing on the harbor wall" captures it well, I think.  Everyone sings.

The Wrong Girl-
     Same as all the live versions, fleshed out.

The Chalet Lines-
     Stark, serious and excellent.  A miniature knockout.  A gorgeous tune 
about a dark day.  Stuart demonstrates to the World Of Rock that 'fuck' can 
be sung appropriately and not just for a sloppy attempt at toughening up a 
weak tune, as boring musicians seem to do.  For example, see anything by Limp 
Bizkit.
Or Arab Strap.

Nice Day For A Sulk-
     *sigh*. A real friend.  More upbeat than the title might imply, this 
soundtrack for a summer evening is a favorite.  Complicating my mix tape/ 
live request list.  Belle And Sebastian at their finest.

Women's Realm-
     Another tune for dancing like the Peanuts gang.  Piano. Handclaps. It 
all.  Stuart duets with Isobel.  "But I dream as I set to scrub/ All the 
floors and walls I'm thinking of/ A song or two/ A boy a girl/ And a 
rendezvous".  Stuart moves on to sing over his own chorus which should twist 
into a curious yodel if attempted live.

Family Tree
     How many times will this be called 'Family Twee'?  Isobel spends a rainy 
day in a library musing on her family geneolgy.  Some of Isobels best lyrics, 
if she wrote this.

There's Too Much Love
     Rousing Stuart album-ending opus we've come to know and love.  Quite 
fitting.  At the end, vocally and lyrically alone. "And when I come to blows/ 
When I am numbering my foes/ Just hope that you are on my side my dear".  
Bows gracefully with a lilting outro suitable for dancing.
     
I haven't really given it a chance as an entire album as it still takes 
several repeats to make it past 'Sulk' and 'Chalet Lines'.  Belle and 
Sebastian for me is at their best with Stuart up front so I wouldn't have 
minded 'Lord Anthony' or '...Middle Distance Runner' substituted for some of 
Isobel's songs.  She's got Gentle Waves for this!  Perhaps STUART should 
start a solo, side project.  
In a high compliment, the world of B&S is reminding me more and more of the 
Peanuts gang with sex lives.  And does anybody feel the same way I do?

Eliot
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