Seems like just yesterday we were reviewing the masterfully woven Stuart Murdoch solo project God Help the Girl, and now, fresh off that welcome musical breather, the band’s all back together, releasing the first proper Belle and Sebastian album since 2006’s The Life Pursuit. To say that Write About Love (or more specifically Belle & Sebastian Write About Love) is a refreshing followup would be an understatement, as would a ‘return to form’ writeup. This is the group at some of their best, combining the lyrical density from their Sinister yesteryear, the pop hooks from their Catastrophic days, and the lush production they’ve recently Pursued.
The group have been saddled with the crown of indie-rock superstars for well over a decade now, growing and morphing with each subsequent album. What may distinguish this latest release is its penchant for slow-burning romanticism, bouncing happy romanticism, all around lovely, hypnotizing, enthralling, intoxicating romance; from songs like “Come on Sister” to obvious standout, Murdoch’s duet with Norah Jones “Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John”. A fantastic collection of B&S tracks that stand up to some of their best work ever. If the band needed a 5 year break to return to the mindset of making music this fantastic again, so be it. Well worth the wait.
SPOON ANNOUNCE X3 FEST AT STUBBS Sorry about the lack of posts this week Cannibal Cheerleader faithful (busy times here in the Atx) but we’re extremely excited to announce that Austin’s favorite indie-rockers Spoon will be headlining their own three-day fest from July at Stubb’s here in the capital city called Spoonx3. The band will be headlining all three days with different opening bands each day, including Cannibal Cheerleader favorite Low opening for them on Friday.
NEW BLOC PARTY REMIX ALBUM The new Bloc Party album features the choicest cuts from remixes from the band’s catalogue to date. While Silent Alarm Remixed, while awesome, may have suffered from some fluff, the feeling that immediately arises from Intimacy Remixed is judiciousness, a carefully selected assortment of tracks featuring the best collage of dub, club bangers, dream-pop, and the signature Bloc Party spidery indie-rock. One of our favorite releases so far this year, check it.
NEW GOD HELP THE GIRL ALBUM With rumors abound that Glasgow indie-poppers Belle & Sebastian may be down for the count, it came as a great relief to learn about God Help The Girl, a storyline-driven twee-opera side project from wunderkind B&S frontman Stuart Murdoch. Featuring lilting indie classics like “Come Monday Night” and mixing in slow-burning rockers like “I Just Want Your Jeans” (featuring Asya from Smoosh, who we love by the way), God Help the Girl seems a natural progression from the more progressive-pop of the Life Pursuit. Here’s hoping it’s not the band’s swan song!
It’s called God Help The Girl and it’s the newest project from the seemingly out-of-hiatus Stuart Murdoch, the brains behind twee-pop stalwarts Belle & Sebastian. Here’s the story according to the project’s Myspace:
“God Help The Girl’ is a story set to music, which Stuart Murdoch has been working on intermittently for the last five years, its origin in some songs that were written while Belle and Sebastian were touring ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’ in 2004. Stuart explains:
“I was out for a run and I got this tune in my head and it occurred to me that it wasn’t a Belle & Sebastian song. I could hear female voices and strings, I could hear the whole thing, but I just couldn’t envisage myself singing it with the group.”
As more songs emerged, a shape and theme began to develop, before the music was actually recorded, or the vocalists found to take on the parts.
“All the time I was touring with Belle and Sebastian, I was putting aside songs for certain characters,” he says, “and at one point I realised, that it would make sense to string them together to form the backbone of a musical narrative.”
The hunt was then on to find some great new voices to put to use during the recordings. A competition where singers could add their vocals to the demo recordings of ‘Funny Little Frog’ and ‘The Psychiatrist Is In’ was posted on the iMeem social networking site and attracted around 400 entries. From these, Brittany Stallings (Olympia, Washington) and Dina Bankole (Jackson, Michigan) came to Glasgow in February 2008 to rehearse and record some parts, Brittany making the lead vocal part on ‘Funny Little Frog’ her own.
Among those who auditioned early in the process was Catherine Ireton, who had moved from Limerick to Glasgow, a friend of a friend, who had previously appeared on the sleeve of Belle and Sebastian’s last single, ‘The White Collar Boy.’ She took on the lead vocals for the majority of the songs on the record.
The recording continued during 2008, with a total of nine different singers (including Neil Hannon from the Divine Comedy and Asya from American teen trio, Smoosh) joining the members of Belle and Sebastian over the course of a few months. During this, Mick Cooke’s orchestral arrangements were recorded in London with the orchestra before the finishing touches were applied in Glasgow.
The result is a breathtaking record from one of pop’s most singular voices, combining the strengths and feel of the early Belle and Sebastian records in a broader musical palette, which draws equally on musicals, sixties’ girl groups, eighties’ indie and, most of all, classic pop records. And, in Catherine, Stuart has found a rare talent – her clear, lilting vocals bringing to life the characters in Stuart’s imagination and making for an ambitious and engrossing musical journey.”
Sounds completely and utterly amazing. I know we’re called Cannibal Cheerleader and all but far be it from us to not enjoy some incredible lilting pop tunes once in a while. Check out the intro video below.
And here’s the album’s tracklist!
01 “Act of the Apostle” – Catherine Ireton 02 “God Help The Girl – Catherine 03 “Pretty Eve In The Tub” – Stuart, Catherine 04 “A Unified Theory” – Instrumental 05 “Hiding Neath My Umbrella” – Catherine, Stuart 06 “Funny Little Frog” – Brittany Stallings 07 “If You Could Speak” – Catherine, Anna Miles 08 “Musician Please Take Heed” – Catherine 09 “Perfection as a Hipster” – Neil Hannon, Catherine 10 “Come Monday Night” – Catherine 11 “Music Room Window” – instrumental 12 “I Just Want His Jeans” – Asya 13 “I’ll Have To Dance With Cassie” – Catherine 14 “A Down and Dusky Blonde” – Dina Bankole, Catherine, Celia Garcia, Brittany, Asya
Now if only there was some way you could download an mp3 of the awesome first single “Come Monday Night”, only available now on the Myspace. If only there was even a low-quality version of the song so I could listen as I ride my indie-bike around town. IF ONLY….
Check out this new video from UK hardcore Gallows for their single “The Vulture (Act II)” from their upcoming LP Grey Britain. Here’s a band that’s bringing the blood and grime back into hardcore, taking the jump to the a major label after their smashing debut to craft a concept album about the horrors of the real-world underbelly of the British Isles. Think if your favorite hardcore 80s act had the funds to make whatever album they wanted and you’re gonna have Grey Britain. Can’t wait!
Also, check out the band’s E-book, featuring videos, pictures, and interviews about the making of Grey Britain – definitely a different take on the marketing campaign and worth a peek.
Insider sources have named June 2, 2009 as the release date for Spinnerette’s self-titled debut album. Excitement ahoy! Can’t wait for more Spinnerette news trickling out of the Brody Dalle camp!
BELLE & SEBASTIAN RELEASE BBC LP An unequivocable favorite of our over here at Cannibal Cheerleader through the years has been the now sadly ‘on-hiatus’ group Belle & Sebastian. From their indie-pop masterpiece If You’re Feeling Sinister to their subversively excellent b-sides and rareties (collected on Push Barman to Open Old Wounds) we love it all. That’s why we’re so excited to hear that the band is officially releasing a collection of some of their lauded BBC Sessions. Included is the rare John Peel session that includes the last recorded material with Isobell Campbell as part of the band’s lineup, as well as alternative versions of BS favorites like “The State I Am In” and “Lazy Line Painter Jane”. Tracklist below, thanks to P4K for the info!
Disc One – Radio Sessions:
01 The State I Am In (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 02 Like Dylan in the Movies (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 03 Judy and the Dream of Horses (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 04 The Stars of Track and Field (Mark Radcliffe Session; 07/96) 05 I Could Be Dreaming (Mark Radcliffe session; 12/96; abbreviated version) 06 Seymour Stein (Evening Session; 07/97) 07 Lazy Line Painter Jane (Evening Session; 07/97) 08 Sleep the Clock Around (Evening Session; 07/97) 09 Slow Graffiti (Evening Session; 07/97) 10 Wrong Love (later recorded as “The Wrong Girl”) (Evening Session; 07/97) 11 Shoot the Sexual Athlete (John Peel session; 05/01) 12 The Magic of a Kind Word (John Peel session; 05/01) 13 Nothing in the Silence (John Peel session; 05/01) 14 (My Girl’s Got) Miraculous Technique (John Peel session; 05/01)
Disc Two – Live in Belfast (12/21/01):
01 Here Comes the Sun 02 There’s Too Much Love 03 The Magic of a Kind Word 04 Me and the Major 05 Wandering Alone 06 The Model 07 I’m Waiting for the Man 08 The Boy With the Arab Strap 09 The Wrong Girl 10 Dirty Dream #2 11 The Boys Are Back in Town 12 Legal Man
Belle & Sebastian – “Dog On Wheels” ******************************************************************** NEW BALMORHEA LIVE VIDEOS CC fave Balmorhea recently recorded some live sessions as a part of the Retread Sessions at Austin’s KUT. Check these videos out below, they feature songs that will be on the group’s upcoming third LP!
Balmorhea “Untitled 2″ from Retread Sessions on Vimeo. Balmorhea – “San Solomon” ******************************************************************** WHO IS MEMORY CASSETTE? With a mysterious and lonely Myspace and a lone photograph (see above), Memory Cassette is a secretive but nontheless entrancing new act with a sound that recalls the disco-retro of bands like Glass Candy and the Chromatics, albeit with a little more techno experimentalism. Check out this tune below and head here if you want to download the whole EP. Thanks to the guys over at GvsB for the heads up on this awesome new artist.
Seems like just yesterday we were reviewing the masterfully woven Stuart Murdoch solo project God Help the Girl, and now, fresh off that welcome musical breather, the band’s all back together, releasing the first proper Belle and Sebastian album since 2006’s The Life Pursuit. To say that Write About Love (or more specifically Belle & Sebastian Write About Love) is a refreshing followup would be an understatement, as would a ‘return to form’ writeup. This is the group at some of their best, combining the lyrical density from their Sinister yesteryear, the pop hooks from their Catastrophic days, and the lush production they’ve recently Pursued.
