NR Essentials #22: Belle And Sebastian - Tigermilk
 

 

Belle And Sebastian
Tigermilk
1996, Electric Honey

It's safe to say that IF YOU'RE FEELING SINISTER will always be considered Belle And Sebastian's crowning achievement. And that may be earned. It may be their best album. Certainly I'd agree that Stuart Murdoch would be lucky to ever write another song as perfect as "Seeing Other People." But at the same time, even if I buy every album they make forever -- I will never feel as strongly connected to TIGERMILK. No how. No way.

It's also safe to say that TIGERMILK is the pussiest album I love.

Before I heard TIGERMILK I was all about guitars. That's it. Dudes with guitars. Loud and distorted. Power chords. Unplugged. Strumming. Alone. Guitar and voice. It didn't matter. But it also didn't matter if there was anything else going on. Bass? Who the fuck needed it? Drums? Yeah, if you wanna. But then I heard TIGERMILK. And suddenly I wanted to know how to play every instrument in the world. I wanted to hear every combination of instruments. Together.

TIGERMILK is a beautiful accident. It's a "project" for real. It was a school assignment gone tragically right.

From the acapela opening of "The State I Am In," I realized that I was hearing a whole new syle of music. But wait. Of couse it's not new. There were the sounds of Dylan. Of Nick Cave. Of Donovan. Et al. But at the same time, it was new. It was fresh. It was sexy. And ambiguous. And sad. And lovely. And happy. And poetic. And a WHOLE NEW SOUND TO MY EARS... andthe song told a story. A tragic story. And when it finally ended there were nine more. Nine more lovely stories to digest.

And the album is amazing and varied while still being familiar and comfortable.

"Expectations" is rolicking in a Vaselines kind of way. But sad and defiant. The female rebel star standing tall. "Electric Renaissance" samples motherfucking New Order, man! And it's awesome! "We Rule The School" is one of the most profoundly fucking sad songs in rock music of the last decade with its "do something pretty while you can" advice ringing loud-n-clear. And then there's "My Wandering Days Are Over." The ultimate fuckoff to the Fonz lifestyle.

Yessir. TIGERMILK is special. And perfect. And unmatched. Even by Belle And Sebastian.

this makes me sound like alot more of a prick than i am, but whenever anyone says the words "Belle and Sebastien" I start thinking

TURN IT UP! YOU FUCKING LIBRARIANS!

I know im sinning, but its instinctive. I love a bit of Richard Youngs, and Arab Strap, and good Scottish indie-folky stuff. But this lot... I cant hack it.

yr right. You do sound like a prick.

I never could get into Arab Strap myself.

really?
Not even New Birds?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGoz5oeXlgY

I had a few of their albums. And when the RED THREAD came out, I thought it was a pretty good album. But I also felt like I had tried hard enough to like them. And it just wasn't going to work out,so I cut them loose.

Philophobia is one of those albums that creates a real disparity between people who love it and people who hate it. I think in the end it comes down to ones sense of humour. Its such a dark album that you have to enjoy a certain mentality to get the kind of things out of it that i do.

I agree with the "pussiest album I love" statement. Hell, they're the pussiest band I love too.

I prefer the Field Mice when it comes to twee pop but you know, B&S are good too

I fucking love Tigermilk. Not as much as I fucking love Arab Strap though.