Comments on: Review: The Gentle Waves, Swansong for You

By: Sam E.

Sam E. — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 06:04:00 +0000

For the record, my first B&S album was Arab Strap, and to prove you right, Christine, it’s probably still my favorite.

I’ve listened to a bit of the SYGC now, Joie. It’s pretty good. I need to listen to it more to have anything more detailed than that, but I can already say that I appreciate you for pointing me in their direction.

And I think that it’s hysterical that this post has ten comments on it now, and only one of them mentions The Gentle Waves — and even then, only in passing. Poor Isobel. Overshadowed by her old band even in a review of her new one.

By: joiezabel

joiezabel — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:03:12 +0000

borch - that, my friend, isÂ because you were introduced to b&s with their worst album ever. \”arab strap\” blows \”fold you hands, girl\” out of the proverbial water and you are a good kid to recognize the fact. especially since they slammed seymour stein, who was personally responsible for screwing over one of my very favourite bands (manchester\’s james) when he signed them but refused to allow them to release any material.Â Â also, \”paul\’s boutique\” kicks \”licensed to ill\’s\” ass.

christine - stuart murdoch is not gay. stuart david, who used to be the bassist but left to form looper, is reported to be.

everyone - why are you ignoring me? does anyone here like the scotland yard gospel choir? i am currently kind of obsessed with them and you should be too.

By: Borch

Borch — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:20:29 +0000

Keep observation, Christine. That would explain my dedication to ‘Licensed to Ill’, but if it were true for all bands, including B&S, then I would be mixing my champagne w/ sleeping pills now (thank you very much, ‘Fold Your Hands Girl…’) instead of struggling to quit humming the chorus of ‘…Arab Strap’ all day.

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:08:00 +0000

“i do tend to think, however, that most folks tend to hold a special spot in their hearts for the album that first introduced them to a band…” I think you are spot-on, Joie… especially about B&S. Because almost everyone I know who likes B&S likes the first B&S album they bought best.

I actually didn’t know Stuart and Isobel were dating (I, you know, BELIEVED the liner notes that said that they “are not snogging”… oh, how gullible). I also thought Stuart was gay. Or was that Stevie? I can’t keep track of all of ‘em.

By: joiezabel

joiezabel — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:34:29 +0000

see, part of what hooked me on “tigermilk” when it first came out was how gentle and unaffected and almost trepidatious it sounded. it has the natural sound of honest-to-god loneliness. or something.

don’t get me wrong - i love all of the incarnations of b&s. i do tend to think, however, that most folks tend to hold a special spot in their hearts for the album that first introduced them to a band, regardless of what came out before or after it. and by that reasoning, i love me some “tigermilk.”

also, SCOTLAND YARD GOSPEL CHOIR?

By: amber

amber — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:29:55 +0000

for some reason, i think all b&s albums after isobel left the band are crap. i dunno, i liked their chemistry together, and stuart started inviting WAY too many people to be in his band. there are like 47 members now. the last two albums outright sucked. they made me sad.

stuart and isobel were dating - everyone knows that, right? after they broke up, things became really strained and she left the band. supposedly stuart is really bitter about it, and isobel will hardly acknowledge it. i read him bad mouth her in a magazine a few years back….DRAMA

By: Sam E.

Sam E. — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:20:25 +0000

Part of my love for Dear Catastrophe is rooted in my undying love for Trevor Horn as a producer. He’s sort of a divisive figure, but I just can’t help but love him. It’s in my blood. Or something.

Tigermilk sounds uncertain to me, like they’ve got an idea of what they want to do, but aren’t quite sure how to go about doing it. Murdoch’s songwriting sounds scattershot to me, and the band sound like they can just barely play their instruments together, which was apparently true. I dunno…it’s got moments that are way better than your average debut, but it doesn’t hold my interest the way some of the others do. It’s the only one of their proper albums I’ve never bothered to buy.

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:11:11 +0000

I agree that If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy with the Arab Strap are awesome. Just curious--what do you dislike about Tigermilk? I enjoyed it a LOT better than Dear Catastrophe, which I think takes the dorky flute on "Mary Jo" to new, unpleasant heights.

By: joiezabel

joiezabel — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:37:04 +0000

he said it at a live show i saw right after she left the band. i personally think “arab strap” and “tigermilk” are their best albums to date, although i love them all, and that’s mainly because of isobel’s contributions. the gentle waves kind of annoys me though…isn’t that odd?

have you heard the scotland yard gospel choir yet? i would reccomend them to any fan of b&s.

By: Sam E.

Sam E. — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:26:36 +0000

I’d heard that, but I didn’t know if it was true or not.

I wish she hadn’t quit the band. I liked her contributions to their sound a lot, though I also like what they’ve done without her.

By: joiezabel

joiezabel — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:04:36 +0000

she’s the one that stuart from b&s wrote “i’m waking up to us” about, did you know that?