From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V6 #56 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Tuesday, March 14 2006 Volume 06 : Number 056 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [loud-fans] RE: New B&S ["Douglas Stanley" ] [loud-fans] RE: New B&S and New Release Round-Up ["B.J. Skaught" Subject: [loud-fans] RE: New B&S While I like The Life Pursuit well enough, it sure doesn't rank very high in respect to the rest of their work. I find it lacks the trademark "Belle and Sebastian Epic Songs" (LLPJ, The State I'm In, Boy w/ the Arab Strap, etc.). It's a nice sunny pop album, and there's nothing wrong with that - they do sunny pop well. It's just not the reason I listen to B&S. I must say however, I really do like the second song (Another Sunny Day) and am surprised that anyone would "hate" it. I'm be seeing Stuart and Co. this weekend in LA, along with The Neko-less Pornographers. Doug S. - ---------------------- Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 16:46:51 -0500 From: "Stewart Mason" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] La La La, I Can Hear You - - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Winston" > Hey, I just got around to listening to the new Belle & Sebastian > (downloaded from eMusic). I really like the first half or so and then > it kinda goes downhill from there. What's up with that? > (Note: I haven't been a huge B&S fan in the past.) For me, I like basically the seven songs in the middle and hate the first three and the last three. On the other hand, I like those songs specifically because they don't sound much like B&S, and I don't like the others because they do. S ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 14:27:21 -0800 From: "B.J. Skaught" Subject: [loud-fans] RE: New B&S and New Release Round-Up I really love the new B&S--there were a few tracks I didn't like at first, but i'm pretty much on board for the whole thing now. I like their transformation into a bubblegum soul/pop band--much as I love the classic stuff, I was pretty much done hearing more of it. Lyrics are still fantastic, too. And I really like the scrunched up, cassette tape sound. No female lead vocals, though? Wouldn't have minded one of those. The new Neko Case is quite possibly a masterpiece! I look at it this way: The first album showed she could do a retro-twang thing, the second showed she could write some interesting songs, the third was all about spooky torch stuff and this one is all of that! Really interesting songwriting--great, sophisticated melodies and powerful, strange lyrics. It's rare alt-countryish songwriting that can maintain it's rootsy, classic feel while also demonstrating some melodic, structural complexity. I think it's a really stunning, maybe even flawless album! I was glad to see people chiming in on the Pollard a month or so back--I think it's great, too, and i'm glad i'm not alone in really admiring Todd Tobias' production. Folks who dig the new one should definitely check out Pollard's Fiction Man album, which is very similar (and maybe even better--more immediate, shorter.) The new Kelley Stoltz is a lot of fun--a definite Something Else by the Kinks vibe to it. Not as much of the folky, psychedelic thing as his previous albums--this is definitely a pop album. Good songwriting, and a great homemade sound--he's particularily good live, too, so if he comes to own it's worth checking out. Karl Blau's Beneath Waves is really cool, odd little album. Similar to the Stoltz album in that it's a homspun, DIY pop album, but it's more eccentric and off the cuff. I think he's half improvising these songs--they remind me quite a bit of Robert Wyatt in their dreamy, rambling quality. Blau plays reed instruments as well as the classic pop instruments, so the songs are often colored with some cool horn arrangements and interesting harmonies. There are more cool new things around, but i'm already rambling enough... B ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2006 17:49:36 -0800 From: "Douglas Stanley" Subject: [loud-fans] Belle and sebastian in Los Angeles As I might have mentioned earlier, Belle and Sebastian are playing at the Wiltern LG (with The New Pornographers) this coming Saturday and Sunday. My wife has decided that seeing them two nights in a row might be a little too much. Therefore, I have one extra ticket for the sold-out Sunday show. Are there any So. California-based loud-fans that would like to see the show? I only ask that you pay face value (plus service fees) for the ticket. I should also mention that I've seen TNP without Neko and Dan and found them to be utterly amazing. So don't think that not having Neko will make for a less-than-stellar show. In fact, I'd go see them if the only guy there was their drummer (right, Gil?). Doug S. ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V6 #56 ******************************