Sinister: Nice Day For A Mood

[Robin Stout]

Hi there

      I'm in a bit of a tense mood today, so I won't say much, but I 
have to say something about the new album, don't I? After trying to 
resist the temptation of a preview tape, I failed hopelessly, so I've 
been listening to it for about a month now. Here are my considered 
opinions:

      I Fought In A War, The Model and There's Too Much Love are all 
GRATE, with a capital G, R, A, T, E. The first two songs are perhaps 
the best opening pair of songs they've done, so the rest was bound 
to be a bit disappointing.
      Waiting For The Moon To Rise is pretty cool, though the lyrics 
aren't that great.
      I don't think Don't Leave The Light On ... is as good as some 
people seem to, but it's pretty adventurous, and it makes you listen. 
      I like the Chalet Lines, if you can really use such a weak word 
about a song about rape. It's not a singalong classic, but I think it's 
rather poignant.
      I'm quite fond of  Nice Day For A Sulk too, although it will please 
a friend of mine who says that Belle and Sebastian songs all sound 
like Messing About On The River.
      Woman's Realm is a good song, but it really sums up what's 
wrong with the album, I think. It's been said before, by me as well, I 
think, but when you start to use an orchestra, the danger is that 
things get too orchestrated, and that's what's happened. I don't 
wan't Belle and Sebastian to be endearingly shambolic (well, mybe 
a bit), but I don't want their songs to be lifeless. I think the song's 
great, but the orchestration lets it down, and the handclaps on this 
sound like the're being played by John Shuttleworth on his 
Bontempi organ.
      I like Family Tree, and don't think you can really read much into 
it, so I won't bother.
      And.... Beyond the Sunrise isn't that bad. It doesn't fit on the 
album at all, it it's easily the weakest song and I don't know what the 
hell Stevie was thinking of with that accent, but it's got some lush 
heavenly voices on it, and that sort of think always tweaks my bells.
      So, in my opinion, it's certainly not Tigermilk or If You're Feeling 
Sinister, but I think it's more of an *album* than TBWTAS, rather 
than a collection of songs. The production's good, the orchestration 
is a little limp, but it's not terrible. And it's got some ace 
sleevenotes, too. Truly, Stuart Murdoch is a poet.


Robin x
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