Sinister: More post-match analysis, switch over if you want to

[Robin Stout]

Hello listees

    The Chalet Lines. I'm not going to say I can't understand what the 
fuss is about, and I've never been very close to the consequences 
of a rape, nor would like to be, so ignore me if you want, but I like 
this song. I can see peoples' objections to it, but I've been trying to 
work out why I think otherwise, so here goes.
    There are different faults people find with the song. Firstly, I don't 
think there's any problem with Stuart singing it from the point of view 
of a woman. I think, as Katarina said, that it sounds more like a 
friend telling the story to him. Stuart often changes person during a 
song (Electronic Renaissance is a classic example), and he does at 
the end of this (from "I" to "she"), so I don't think he's really singing 
"as a rape victim", but more like the echo from a sounding board.
     Belle and Sebastian often sing about pretty grim subjects, 
bullying, adultery, suicide, loneliness, even murder, and I've always 
wondered why some people have a sickly sweet impression of 
them. I think that some people ( including Steven Wells, maybe?), 
prefer a safer, more aggressive, style of "issue" songwriting, and 
feel more comfortable with it, like a faded black t-shirt. But, to my 
ears, Stuart has always touched on a more profound sadness that is 
caused by these events, rather than the anger that more people see.
     I don't think The Chalet Lines is gratuitous, or gauche, I just think 
it sounds quite helpless.
     Some people dislike the Chalet Lines, Nice Day For A Sulk 
segue. Maybe I'm biased because I like both songs, but I don't think 
Nice Day... is tactlessly happy or anything. It's just a song about 
kicking about town, like String Bean Jean was.

     And that's what I'm off to do now...

Robin x
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