Reviews (page 2 of 8)
i thought i would hate this and i was very wrong
I love this album
Not even my favorite B&S record but it was a joy to listen to this today.
Fantastic
Good listen. Strong 60s vibes revisited in the 90s. Strong VU and Nico influence.
God I love this band so much, and it's a joy to hear such a well-developed debut album. Like it isn't as good as their 2nd or even 3rd releases, but my God it's super impressive to have a identifiable and clear sonic identity right from the get-go. And the writing is so delightful, Stuart Murdoch creates these worlds for the sad and misfits of life but pairs these outcasts with a cheerful and amazingly catchy melodies. Yeah this is just so wonderful. It's a bittersweet feeling, like walking around an old hometown where you moved away from, or going back to your university after graduating and remembering all those good old days. 22/01/26
And I thought I liked Belle and Sebastian before
A really beautiful album
This album was amazing, the lyrics were engaging and different to how lyrics are used now. If the eagles, bauhaus and bowie had a secret music love child. 100% recomend .
Fajne
good stuff. I enjoyed this album
10/10
Fantastic album...love B&S. This one is honestly bangers front to back. 4.5/5
Oh yeah. What a treat. From the first note, absolute class.
I liked it a lot
One of my all time faves
Pretty darn good. I’ve had plenty of exposure to B&S via friends/mixtapes/etc and always enjoyed it, but for whatever reason I’ve never bought anything by B&S. While listening to this album after work, it inspired my wife to dance around the kitchen and squeak a clown horn. I’m borderline 4 and 5 here, but a debut album being this good tips me over to 5.
Wow, who knew tables could be so catchy.
Len Houmous claims to have drunk 3 pints of Tigermilk after one of his famous acid trips at the zoo. Apparently it was the same night when he bedded both Belle and Sebastian! 4.5 5/10 Electronic Renaissance
I just. They're just. Isn't it so great
Delightfully chill
10/10 you can’t go wrong with any Belle & Sebastian, it all works perfectly
Brilliant early album with knockout songs that established B&S as leader of a new movement of twee pop.
Great music of it's time 👐
I don’t even know how to really describe this is just so good
I remember being 18 and playing this album over and over on a burnt CD
This is the hundred ninety ninth album I’m rating. I really only know this from the album cover. Adding to my Playlist - The State I Am In, Expectations, She’s Losing It, You’re Just a Baby, Electronic Renaissance, I Could be Dreaming, We Rule the School, My Wandering Days are Over, I Don’t Love Anyone, and Mary Jo. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 10/10 songs. Some of the gayest folk ever.
I love my twee Scots.
Stuart’s lisp will be forever charming to me
I LOVE THIS ALBUM, it has curveballs like electronic renaissance and tender moments like Expectations (and most of the album). Teenage Harry is dancing, being reminded how to feel. Every listen I find some new little detail, I love the layered lyrics and composition. Obviously a 5/5
The first five tracks on this album are damn-near perfect. The second half is a bit less memorable but still fantastic.
so nice, calm it had a great effect on me, it made me focus more on emotional part of myself i forgot the outside world, my fast thoughts and focused just on those long ones… those that are connected with emotions those that i (maybe we) should listen to more often!
Top song: she’s loving it
There's a lovely low key intimacy present, like a bard or a sage telling you a secret fable in a hushed voice over a gentle acoustic backing. Comparisons to Donovan and Nick Drake seem inevitable but Stuart Murdoch's voice and tone reminds me of Peter Daltry, from the 60s UK psych band Kaleidoscope. Although it's fairly twee and whimsical music the lyrics are often darkly poetic and that is a nice contrast. And there's a vibrant splash of colour added via trumpet, violin and cello. All in all this is well crafted music right up my avenue.
One of my dumbest life choices has been failing to listen to Belle and Sebastian more before this
I bought this album rather late in the day as a vinyl re-release. Despite its occasional bout of twee-ness (not unexpected given the band's name derived from the kind of kids' broadcasting from 1960s BBC), I think this is a strong debut album of confessional type songs. It benefits from not just being a singer-songwriter effort, with a proper band playing.
This is one my favorite albums of all time.
Belle and Sebastian were already one of my faves, so I really enjoyed this album
MARAVILHOSO UM DOS MELHORES ALBUMS OAT
A heck of a debut. Band is already fully formed and firing on almost full throttle. Such a lovely record… great instrumentation, wonderful harmonies, great stuff.
The pictures this paints of small town life and the stories it contains make me smile everytime. The fact that they are laid over beautifully done pop music with a healthy dose of quirk and charm makes it even better. I loved it then and i love it now
I used to listen to Belle & Sebastian all the time. In the Stone Age, back when I used iTunes, I’d literally filter the Belle & Sebastian discography every evening and just let it play all night. The output of this band is such a vibe, and going back to Tigermilk brought back so many memories. It’s impossible for me to rate objectively, and for that, I’m blessed.
They really had it from the jump
Yes it could be seen as twee and fey but so bloody good. Many of these lyrics and melodies have been living in my head for over 25 years now and they still stand up, fresh and timeless. Some astonishingly good songs, well-produced and perfectly sequenced. What the heck, it's nearly flawless in its own unique, imperfect way: give it a five.
Really good.
Pleasantly surprised by this one. I previously only knew Fox in the Snow by them, which I adore. First song is so good, really set the tone for the rest of it. It really only gets better as it goes too, weaving a lot of prominent genres of the time together while also sounding a lot like the indie rock that was yet to come at this point. My best reference point is to describe it like a better Arcade Fire way before Arcade Fire existed. This is such a strong debut album. I will be listening to this all day.
Up until about 2005 I genuinely thought that Belle and Sebastian had figured it out, that they were the one band people would obviously enjoy, if not love. Still kind of crazy to me that that’s not the case, especially with their early stuff in mind, but apparently it is.
This is one of my all time favorite albums and the uncontrollable glee I felt when it popped up only reaffirmed that. Such catchy tunes that have a sort of timeless indie sound. Knowing the backstory of the album, which was essentially funded by a public Scottish arts fund for out of work musicians, only adds to its genius because of how improbable its existence is. My favorites as always were "The State I Am In" (which amazingly endures as one of their best songs despite being the very first song on their very first album), "Expectations," and "Electronic Renaissance."
Listened on the back of a motorcycle through mountains. Very nice moment. I like the spaciness of the sounds at points and the liberal use of flute.
I adore this record. It fills me with hope and joy. Forthright and utterly unpretentious, both musically and lyrically (which is extraordinary for a debut). Ear worms in abundance. Gorgeous and super interesting production.
I love this album! First time listener but I’m hooked. Driving music, excellent vocals, smooth delivery. Definitely adding to my home collection.
5/5
I like it, the sound seems to be just right up my alley. Jangle-pop ish, for sure indie sounding. This is what I love about the 90s, a sound like this seems familiar to the era. Love this album
A delightful album that I've been listening to for decades
This album is quite relaxing, and sweet.
Still a top album and it's bonkers that it was created as the final project for their course at college
About 30 seconds in I was very dubious and this one but holy crap what an album. Stunned me how much I enjoyed it
Had not listened to this in years. I don’t listen to B&S much anymore and this is not the first—or even second—album of theirs that I think to put on. But unsurprisingly this was great and I really enjoyed revisiting it multiple times today. Just great songs and great music.
Loved it.
I really liked this. So very pleasant and whimsical sounding. At times I get Cranberries vibes, other times feel like Natalie Merchant in the 80's, and then straight-up hotel lounge music! This album is why I've trodded through 515, mostly weird 70's folk music, to discover something new that I actually like.
Definitely a different sound. But a few songs in I was really starting to dig it. Gonna have to put more of them in my rotation for sure
I remember seeing them in 1996, at Maxwell's in Hoboken, if I recall, to a half filled room, and then only 2-3 months later to a packed hall down in the Bowrey as they exploded overnight. An amazing album from start to finish.
same vein as the shins, wilco, etc
NINETEEN-NINETIES SAD BOY CLASSIC 10/10 album art, too.
Gen Z Simon and Garfunkel.
Love this album as much as I did when I first heard it.
Absolutely stunning. Wonderfully witty lyrics. Have fleetingly listened to some Belle and Sebastian before but they were big before my time. This is fabulous!
Juno.
One of the definitive bands of 90s indie, this is the opening of a near perfect run of three albums in a row for B&S. The seeds of this are sown by the bands on the C86 compilation, but this is the cream of that crop of quiet British indie pop, making them the heirs to the Smiths. The melodic phrasing in the vocals is full of surprises, like a familiar nursey rhyme that goes off in unexpected directions. The horns bring such a bright energy and harmonic complement, the jangly clean/acoustic sound and simple but lively rhythm playing gives it an infectious joy. I'm sucker for this combination of bright poppy upbeat music paired with wry melancholy lyrics, for the disco flourishes, the tremelo guitar, the sing-along choruses and intimately observed and self-depreciating verses. It's gorgeous autumnal music, bittersweet and wistful, relaxing and uplifting.
Счастливая сегодня, и музыка сразу вся нравится:)
B&S are indie darlings. Their best album by far is 'Boy with the Arab Strap' which doesn't get a flag on the 1001, which is a real shame. This is still a winner though, and I'm glad to see Tigermilk on the list. Debut albums can be rough, but there is a lot of polish in this. Songs are mostly simple but joyous. It's still a band working out how to make music together, the use of synths is pretty rudimentary, but the building blocks for a long career are here.
4.6 - This was a great album. I felt this was a lot more raw and lovely than some of their more popular stuff is
Real men love Belle & Sebastian A brilliant debut. I’m slightly partial to If You’re Feeling Sinister, but it’s a brilliant album. I was only a kid when it came out, but I’d love to talk to someone who heard this before it became a cult classic: a thousand albums came out ten years later that sound like this, but when this came out it was all grunge and Hootie and the Blowfish (not that that’s a bad thing, I will not disparage Hootie and Cracked Rear View is a classic!) and this is far from that sound. It gets better with ever listen. There are more standout tracks on If You’re Feeling Sinister, but this is so good front to back and works for background music or close listening. The stories are great and cheeky, and the music is so good. Belle and Sebastian is what I thought the Smiths would be like, or what I wanted them to be like. B&S is much better I think.
Actually very good.It has that lingering sense of melancholy all throughout, and the writing is incredible for the most part. Very good album.
I love Belle and Sebastian. Even though it's not my favourite B & S album, it's still a classic. They have a way of taking a bright pop sounding song and giving it a dark lyrical twist. Liked songs added: - The State I Am In - She's Losing It - We Rule The School - My Wandering Days Are Over - I Don't Love Anyone
I love this band. I like this album, but I feel they have better. Have all their stuff--smile!
just love it
Never heard of them.
This album grabbed my attention at the first song and held it the whole time. Immaculate melodies, great lyrics, and varied production. I can't believe I hadn't listened to Belle & Sebastian before this generator. Highlights: The State I Am In, Expectations, She's Losing It, Electronic Renaissance, We Rule the School, My Wander Days Are Over, I Don't Love Anyone
It is very very nice album! I never heard it before.
Absolute classic, used to listen to it in my bedroom on bell road. Love it will always love it, makes me cry
Simple Sweet perfection
2024-03-27...
Brilliant. Love every minute of this. Indie is my favourite genre so I'm sad I hadn't started listening to them sooner. Electronic Renaissance is incredible and a new favourite song of mine.
One of my favourites, understated and sincere.
I like it, smooth music.
Это не брит-поп! Кто скажет, что это брит-поп - получит по лицу! Это очень наивные поп-песни в духе Ника Дрейка, которому просто завезли побольше инструментов. Тексты смешные, абсурдные, про себя и жизнь вокруг. Меланхоличные. Эта музыка сделана просто чтобы наслаждаться, и ни для чего больше. Она поразительно быстро влюбляет в себя...
Loved this for a clear winter day
Having only been vaguely aware of a few B&S singles before this was an absolute treat. Clever lyrics that are at times super witty and at others, deal with some challenging themes. The melodies are nice and this also feels like a 'dense' album with plenty packed in. There's also some subtle variety in the musicianship with a bit of experimentation as well as brass and strings dotted around in places, without being there just for the sake of it. Loved it and immediately listened for a second time as soon as it finished.
This has been one of my favourite albums of all time for about 20 years now. Love it so much.
Its front loaded. To start with it feels like it will be the easiest 5 you ever gave. But it tapers off. It’s still a 5 though!
Nice soft music. Thanks for sharing.
I never heard of this band, so this was a big surprise to me, because i really enjoyed the whole Album. Didn't dislike one song on this one. Definitely listening to it again.
B&S first 3 albums are all 5⭐️. Great indie pop with interesting songwriting that was just a taste of the brilliance to come with If You’re Feeling Sinister.
I just like this band. This (like most of their records) is nice to put on and chill to.
Tigermilk for a debut record is remarkable. Recorded with a group of near-strangers, for a music-business class. It wasn’t meant to be heard, just a curiosity for the band. Stuart Murdoch, the band leader had a deep knowledge of indie pop. When you hear the record you can hear notes of these influences throughout. It’s a lush, gorgeous record which fully deserves to be in this list.
One of my all-time favorites
wow what a beautiful record. such a warm and comforting listen. classic sad lyric/happy music dichotomy. love love love She’s Losing It. the album has a cohesive feel and there’s not a song that i didn’t like. such a soothing voice and the arrangements are driving yet side soft and pretty. fantastic song writing overall.
Love B&S, specially their first albums, if 1st song on 1st album is as good as the State I'm In, what's more to want? 5 stars
My first five star new discovery - obviously well aware of Belle and Sebastian, but I had them down as something twee and poppish. What I got instead was an incredibly rich album full of wit and catchy hooks. Blinder
Revelation here as I would never choose to listen to this. BEAUTIFUL album, expertly produced and written. Must hear. Best in the morning possibly while foggy out.
One of my favourite bands; this was always going to get a 5. B&S are one of those bands who seem to have pulled off the trick of longevity. They've changed and grown but never completely lost what made them fresh and great. This first album though is a real thing of beauty. Fragile and innocent sounding - although anything but. It's not actually an album I reach for as much as the later ones but it absolutely showcases what B&S are about. I hope some of those will come later.
I've been a big Belle & Sebastian fan since I got into them in high school and this is a great debut album. They already sound so fully realized. The lyrics and songwriting is super strong. I still listen to this one often outside of this exercise, so this was an easy listen. Standout Tracks: The State I'm In, You're Just A Baby, I Could Be Dreaming, We Rule The School, My Wandering Days Are Over, I Don't Love Anyone, Mary Jo
It's nice to have gotten this album sooner rather than later. I don't think this is as good as If You're Feeling Sinister, but it was still very good. Still has a similar feeling that I enjoyed. I'd say maybe a few of the songs should have been a little shorter, but that's fine. They were still enjoyable. My favourite songs were Expectations, Electric Renaissance, and I Could Be Dreaming.
1. The State That I Am in: lovely little folk song, enjoy this one a lot. singers soft voice compliments the instrumental really well. 8.5/10. 2. Expectations: love how upbeat this song is, overall a banger. 10/10. 3. She's Losing It: great melody, cheery vibes and upbeat. 8/10. 4. Electronic Renaissance: starts of bit crazy but really grows on you. 8.5/10 5. You're Just a Baby: makes you swing, love the vocal layering. 7.5/10. 6. I Could Be Dreaming: yeah just great sounding. 9/10 7. We Rule the School: nice mellow song, great violin and vocal layering. 8/10. 8. My Wandering Days Are Now: again super nice song, very chill. Two voice part was nice. 8.5/10 9. I Don't Love Anyone: alright but maybe a bit bland compared to the rest. 7/10. 10. Mary Jo: ahh this one is great. lovely mellow vibes and just great vocals. They seem much clearer than the rest of the tracks. 10/10.
The beginning of a great career. A pleasure to listen to every time.
I was not familiar with this album, although "She's Losing It" was given to me on a mix CD many years ago by a dear old friend and was enough of a favorite that it made it into my iTunes playlists in the iPod era. I hate to call it delightful, since that seems like it's more lightweight than it is, but it was. My rating reflects that I really wanted to spend more time with it today than I was able.
I was introduced to Belle and Sebastian in the late nineties and was instantly taken by their catchy melodies. The lyrics peer into moments in the lives of interesting characters. These little slices of life are peppered with surprises - sometimes in stark contrast to the jaunty tunes. My imagination takes off filling in details of these fascinating stories. These songs still manage to surprise and delight even though this album has been in heavy rotation for more than 20 years. I never get tired of these lovely vignettes. This is such a perfect album - one of my all-time favorites.
This gets a bit of a nostalgia bump, for sure - seem to remember piecing this album together from individual tracks obtained from napster or limewire in the very early naughts.... Actually, though, even without the nostalgia bump, this really holds up - some absolutely fantastic songs! Fave tracks - "The State I Am In" is probably my overall fave B&S track. On this play through, "Electronic Renaissance" really stood out to me, too....
One of the many excellent Belle & Sebastian albums, first rate song writing as ever :D
10/10
Exceeded my expectations! I will definitely be listening to more folky stuff. Beautiful instrumentals and messages in every song. Strong 9, maybe even a 10.
So fucking great I can’t wait to listen to it again. Inventive and fun all the way through.
This is great indie pop. Wiki calls it Scottish pop, but I can't hear much of an accent. "The State I Am In" is quite excellent. The rest is also good, but it doesn't stand out. I enjoyed the whole album.
This really brings me back. Super serotonin boost.
👏🏼👏🏼
Surprisingly nice album…
Love this album. Instant 5!
A twee masterpiece from one of Scotland's more supreme bands. They don't come fully formed these days, an aesthetic that is assured and automatically iconic from the moment eyes were lain on them. Of course, Belle & Sebastian's music is the focal point (and always will be, they would get better and better) and they provide taut and sophisticated songs that would form the backbone of a influential indie scene.
Wonderful first album, a early sign the bad would shift gears later on. Never given the attention the 3 albums that came out after this do. Poppy and catchy
It's like the most inoffensive tunes conjuring a strange suburban 70/80's world from my childhood with disturbing lyrics with often uncomfortable imagery and unbearable sadness. I've tried getting into these guys before but it's true their songs end up sounding very samey and bland. Maybe it's the lyrics that saves them? It hit me this morning in the right way in tune with my mood so maybe the breakthrough has been made? The state that I am in.
Very British, very twee in the best way. High school drama lyrics with bouncy music.
Belle and Sebastian’s first album was the result of being chosen to produce by a music business class at Stow College in Glasgow. Written in the wake of Stuart Murdoch’s chronic fatigue syndrome onset, the songs are focused on the stories of ‘normal people’ told in a very personal and incisive way. The music itself is deceptively simple, but is incredibly layered.
Digging it!
I have it on vinyl (not the legendary first pressing) and I credit it with my obsession with cute, twee indie. Falling somewhere between Simon and Garfunkel, Pulp and the roster of Sarah records, the lovely meandering chord patterns, sensitive but hilarious lyrics and surprising instrumentation make for a brilliant album. I carved the lyrics to 'We Rule the School' on a desk during my GCSEs, and mumbled a 'Thank you your songs mean everything to me' at Stuart Murdoch at my first Glastonbury. Basically, this one is rigged - Expectations, She's Losing It, We Rule The School and the State I Am In are four of my favourite songs ever. And I'll likely continue listening to their albums in chronological order today, at least up to Dear Catastrophe Waitress - and then stopping only because I have kids and I'm busy!!!
I <3 <3 <3 this album
Slapped harder than flip flops when you’re running.
Really good, nice variety of sounds and catchy songs! Calming, even the more uptempo songs
cool album
Little alt folks but enjoyable
Absolutely classic album - great melodies & lovely lyrics.
An old favourite. Love their lyrics and simple sounding, but complex melodies. A great album.
aural meringue
The perfect amount of whimsical indie rock joy condensed to 10 tracks. Favourites: "The State I'm In", "Electronic Resonance", "We Rule The School"
If every indie album was this good, the world would be a very different place. That said, I think I prefer some of their later works to this one just because I think they got a bit more unique with age (specifically with "Your Cover's Blown", that song is a masterpiece). The lyrics are very warming and intimate which is a hallmark of a great indie album. The instrumentation is also very dense and varied which is something a lot of other contemporary indie songs (and popular songs at the time) lacked. If In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is a little too /mu/ for you, this is a perfect alternative. Highlights: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9.
Electronic Renaissance, The State I Am in, entre otras. Uno de mis discos favoritos de Belle And Sebastian. Vinilo en cuanto lo encuentre.
love it so much
I love Belle & Sebastian.
I am a big fan of Belle and Sebastian's next two albums "If You're Feeling Sinister" and "The Boy with the Arab Strap" but have never really dug into this, their debut album very much. What a miss...this album is outstanding. Most songs start slow and build momentum with additional instruments and vocals. Typically, a piano or acoustic guitar starts the song which finishes with violins, keywords, cellos, trumpets, Mariachi horns and probably more. A unique sound for the time and still is. Lead singer and song writer Stuart Murdoch also tends to tell a story with his subjects all over the place: great use of the instruments to try to match the story. What's great about this album and a surprise to me is the musical variety it starts out and continues with. "The State I Am In" starts acoustically and builds with backing vocals and additional instruments. I did not know this but a Pitchfork top 20 song for the decade. "Expectations" throws in Mariachi horns. "You're Just a Baby" and "My Wandering Days Are Over" sound like they're straight out of the 60's. "Electronic Renaissance" employs some weird keyboards; is this a Beach House song? Wilco was definitely listening to "I Could Be Dreaming" as it sounds like it should be on their "Summerteeth" album which came out three years later. This was fun.
bomm
Despite being a huge B&S fan, I'd not heard many tracks from the debut. What a mistake. It's twee as fuck, but gloriously so. The jangly guitars, gorgeous brass, delightful woodwind. It's indie, and cute, and mischievous, and sincere. I'm biased but I love this shit.
I hadn’t listened to much Belle & Sebastian before, but loved how the soft pop sounded on a cold and rainy day in Chicago.
i cannot rate this fairly, since this and If You're Feeling Sinister are two of the most formative albums of my teenage years, so instead i will just praise stuart murdoch's ability to depict a very familiar kind of comfortable discontent.
I can listen to The State I Am In on repeat all day
How lovely, this is a long standing favourite.
I was expecting boring standard 90s indie. I got interesting and excellent 90s indie with a lot of cool things going on. A really nice vibe and just the right balance of consistency and variety to hold it together whilst also keeping it interesting. I instantly really like it. A very unexpected 5/5.
Fun fun fun!! Really liked this one!!
Great
Like the best collection of short stories, achingly beautiful
rrrrefreshing 🧊
really good. every song was good and different
Comforble
Fast becoming a favourite album of mine. I like the place it takes me to.
loved it more than i remembered loving it
❤️
Started nice The State I am is a personal favourite Feels like a wedding band but also good for road trips
Out of 1000 the first 25 had two for Neil young and two were belle and Sebastian. This algorithm sucks. Another great one. B&S are fantastic.
Shameful that I have never listened to this album. I'm more familiar with Sinister and Catastrophe Waitress. This album is beautiful and I love it.
Hier deutlich festzustellen: ein gewisser 90er-Bias, vermutlich einfach wegen des intensiveren Erlebens und Erinnerns einiger Platten (Pavement, Blur, Massive Attack, Faith No More, ...). Hier allerdings liegt der Fall anders, ich hab Belle & Sebastian so richtig erst Anfang der Nuller auf den Schirm genommen und auch da zunächst nicht besonders groß. Wäre also leicht gewesen, das hier mit einer lockeren 3 durchzubewerten, ABER: das geht natürlich nicht, nein, hier nun wirklich nicht. Da sind NUR HITS drauf, "gut gealtert" wäre eine Beleidigung weil die meisten von denen sind sogar noch besser geworden. Glatte 5, klar verdient.
One of the best Belle & Sebastian's albums. A great indie example of 90's
This is one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands
Aquí soy muy parcial, porque Belle & Sebastian ha estado entre mis bandas favoritas de la vida, desde la prepa que los conocí. Este no es uno de mis discos preferidos de ellos, pero tiene todo lo que uno puede esperar de ellos: algunas buenas letras, muchos instrumentos, moods variados y como toda esa vibra ""indie"" que se puede pedir. Antes, "Electronic Renaissance" era casi que mi top del disco, pero ahora pienso que la que más quiero del disco es "I Don't Love Anyone" por afinidad personal. "The State I Am In", "I Could Be Dreaming" y "Expectations" completan lo que más disfruto de este disquito. En fin, pues claro que mi sesgado 10/10.
This album made me feel nostalgic for University and I adored it, but I've never heard it before today. I love the violin and orchestra feel of it so much. Big highlights- Electronic Renaissance, She's Losing It, and We Rule the School. But every song rocks.
Favourite songs so far are The State I’m In You’re Just a Baby
Makes me want to frolic in a field with a glass of rose and no shoes on Gives wholesome rom-com montage soundtrack in a good way ‘She’s losing it’ all time classic ‘Mary Jo’ omg what a song
Really nice album. Had some songs that were more electronic and different from what I knew from Belle& Sebastian. The whole record feels vaguely nostalgic.
Very good
Day 327 A band which I get recommended a lot on music streaming apps but have never really given much consideration, enjoyed this a lot, will be checking out more. Highlights The state I am in Expectations I don’t love anyone
I've never heard of them. The description makes me think I'll hate it. And, it's pretty good. The music is really catchy. The vocals are good at times and a bit annoying at others. It is very Twee, but for some reason that doesn't make me hate it. It's a low 4.
This was very pristine for a debut. Well balanced. Definitely a band I want to listen to more of in the future
Indi rock/ pop in the vein of Nick Drake who I have become a fan of after discovering him on this list. Soft spoken lyrics pair really well with the easy going instrumentals and always bounce around together in an upbeat way. I really enjoyed Expectations specifically and the unique lo-fi sound of Electronic Renaissance but all the tracks will probably end up on my highlight playlist. Great find.
I know of them, but didn’t know the songs. Nice indie pop songs here. Soft and jangly.
Fun little tweet album.
Simple et efficace, j'aime bien ce genre de voix. L'ambiance est cool très posée. Je me vois bien écouter ça un samedi aprem à la maison au frais avec la clim en plein été. Très bonne production et j'ai retenu de bons lyrics aussi. 1) My wondering days are over 2) I could be dreaming 3) She's losing it
Franchement petite dinguerie
Vraiment sous côté comme groupe !!
I was already predisposed to like Belle and Sebastian because I really like their album If You're Feeling Sinister, but I always heard that was head and shoulders above their other stuff. This is still great! I love how they keep it subdued but still interesting. They don't fall to the temptation to get overwrought.
Esto estivo muchooo mejor de lo que esperaba, se logra llevar su 4
The state i am in - 4 Expectations - 4 She's losing it - 3 You're just a baby - 4 Electronic renaissance - 3 I could be dreaming - 3 We rule the school - 3 My wandering days are over - 3 I don't love anyone - 4 Mary jo - 3
Nice, pleasant chill music for work
Baroque, bespoke, ornate and utterly, exquisitely twee, this album feels boundlessly creative, warm, communal and compassionate. It's a little cloying for my tastes, but it's hard to deny the brains and hearts at work here.
Jens Lekman being inspired by these guys makes so much sense to m. i enjoyed this album but it was a bit same same.
I was wondering when I was going to get to Belle and Sebastian: the platonic ideal of *twee*.
I've never listened to a full B&S album before, but this was a beatiful listen. Expectations & We Rule the School are my two main standounds, but it's excellent throughout. 8/10
This was interesting. Soft indie, with a voice attempting to sound European and talking about genders a lot. However, there were some cool melodies and some interesting stuff.
cozy ass album, i like it
cinematic. dreamy. nostalgic. thoughtful. delicate. precious. (occasional dark humor leaning .. ableist?) i loved the flute, the rounded, whole guitar sound and gentle, intricate storytelling. i listened to this walking along the river in a light rain.
I love B and S, but am really only familiar with a couple albums. This was an absolute joy to discover and will be in much stronger rotation.
I got really into Belle & Sebastian about 10 years ago or so, but as much as I enjoyed them there was something that didn't keep me returning to them or digging deep into all of their albums. I enjoyed this much more than I was expecting!
Good wholesome mid-fi chamber pop that's just a tick above mumbling in Scottish. All jokes aside this is a cool record with a ton of great songs, though not quite perfect. Enjoyable, and makes me want more of B&S in my queue.
I'm twee for life and I won't pretend I'm not
Liked it more than I thought I would
Solid listen!
Belle & Sebastian are so distinctly them, and they are so, so wonderful. Actually a long time ago a friend suggested they're basically doing a Velvet Underground thing, and I got what they mean, but still, and regardless or whatever, you don't have to agree with that assessment. I don't really care anyways. They're great. And this album's great.
Excellent debut. Not their best album but hints of what was to come. Very low-fi in parts but that adds to the charm. Those giving it 1/5 are not listening to the lyrics which are some of the best around. Without the lyrics I can see why people would hear it as boring but that’s like saying without the paint, the Mona Lisa wouldn’t be famous.
Chill and easy breezy driving music. A simpler time.
cool album, and i definitely enjoyed it more than if you're feeling sinister. favorites: the state i am in, expectations, she's losing it, i could be dreaming, i don't love anyone
Yeah, not their best album, but I think the sound and smart songwriting hold up really well. 3.8
Nice acoustics, songs are a little repetitive, 4/5. Favourite song: My Wandering Days Are Over
Exposure/nostalgia bias is in play but I remember the album.
I’m glad I gave this one a few extra listens before judging it. I’m not sure I enjoyed this as much as Boy with the Arab Strap, but it's growing on me.
Bom para correr
richtig nice, mochte die auch schon vorher
Really gorgeous album. I would go for a 9/10. Love that each song feels like its own microcosm. Some songs are playful and fun, some are tender and lowkey, and all of them are good!
I had listened to Belle & Sebastian years ago when first getting into all things 'twee,' but I they didn't make a lasting impression at the time and slowly faded into the background. This is my first listen in a decade, and they finally clicked for me. I love Stuart Murdoch's literate lyrics that often feel like he's reciting short stories, accompanied by the soft, yet full chamber pop instrumentation. It feels like music for book readers and flower pickers; the soft and gentle souls, often involved in academia and carrying shoulder bags, perhaps riding vintage bikes. This music reeks of youth, and it's inspiring. I'll definitely be returning to Bell & Sebastian's discography .
Pretty beautiful, liked she’s losing it and we rule the school. So what the cover picture and name means❓4.5/5
Catchy and interesting lyrics throughout the album combined with some beautiful vocals. I do think its a good thing it was a pretty short tracklist though, as a longer one wouldve felt a bit "too much" of the same. I'd give it a 4, pretty likely to return to it in the future. 4/5
This is actually quite good. first 4/5 new album in a while.
quite fun
I was aware of Belle and Sebastian, tho' hadn't dug far into their archives ...until today. What an excellent album. Well crafted, and so much better than the majority of BritPop crap that came out in this era. 4 to 4.5 stars for me, and added to my repeat list.
Pleasant, and comforting :3
Only 1 bad song and several really good ones. Great debut album.
That was excellent, thanks for the discovery. If I see this entering my rotation I’lll come back for that final star 4/5
Впервые столкнулась с тем, что мне настолько же нравится музыка насколько не нравится вокал
*Tigermilk** is the debut studio album by Scottish indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, released on June 6, 1996. It was recorded in just **five days** at CaVa Sound Studios in Glasgow as part of a music business course at Stow College (now Glasgow Kelvin College), with a limited pressing of only **1,000 vinyl copies** through the college's Electric Honey label . The album's origins as a student project make its subsequent cultural impact all the more remarkable. --- ## Lyrics Stuart Murdoch's songwriting on *Tigermilk* establishes what would become the band's signature approach: **literary, character-driven narratives** that explore outsider perspectives with wit and empathy. **Key lyrical themes:** - **Adolescent alienation and social awkwardness**: "Expectations" follows a student bullied for being different—she makes "life-size models of The Velvet Underground out of clay"—who finds herself in a cycle of aggression, taking out her frustrations on "Veronica, a fat girl with a lisp" . The song captures both the cruelty and the tragedy of social hierarchies. - **Queer identity and family dynamics**: "The State I Am In" opens with the narrator's brother coming out as gay, which "took the heat off me for a while"—a line that captures complicated family psychology with dark humor . The album features multiple queer-coded characters, though some lyrics reflect the limitations of a straight male writer in the 1990s . - **Loneliness and escapism**: "Mary Jo" depicts a solitary woman whose only solace is in dreams, reading *The State I Am In* (a meta-reference to the album's opening track) . "We Rule the School" contains the poignant, oft-quoted line: **"The world is made for men, not for us"** . - **Self-deprecating confession**: "I Don't Love Anyone" features a narrator who claims to love nothing and no one, not even Christmas, yet gradually reveals his fear of being unloved rather than an absence of feeling . Murdoch's lyrics are **dense with cultural references**—from *Rip Van Winkle* to department store jobs at Debenhams—and operate with a novelist's attention to detail. The characters feel fully realized despite (or because of) their flaws. --- ## Music & Composition The album's sound is **chamber-pop indie folk**, heavily influenced by 1960s introspective artists like **Nick Drake** and **Donovan**, with echoes of **The Velvet Underground**'s jangly energy . **Musical elements:** - **Acoustic guitar-driven arrangements** form the backbone, augmented by **cello, violin, and trumpet** (notably on "She's Losing It") for a lush yet intimate texture - **Isobel Campbell's ethereal vocals** provide crucial counterpoint to Murdoch's hushed delivery, particularly on "I Could Be Dreaming" - The **lo-fi production** captures unpolished energy—performances aren't as tight as later albums, but this roughness becomes part of the charm **Notable outlier**: "Electronic Renaissance" is essentially a **synth-pop/EDM track** with distorted vocals and dance culture lyrics ("Take a pill and say hello"), showing the band's willingness to experiment even on a debut . The album spans **10 tracks and approximately 42 minutes**, with songs like "The State I Am In," "Expectations," and "She's Losing It" forming a remarkably strong opening sequence . --- ## Production The production circumstances were **unconventional by design**: - Recorded in **five days** with minimal rehearsal time on a student budget - Engineered by **Gregor Reid** at CaVa Sound Workshops - The **DIY ethos** is audible—rough edges, unpolished performances, and a sense of immediacy that contrasts sharply with the era's polished Britpop This lo-fi approach was initially a limitation but became part of the album's **aesthetic identity**. The 1999 Jeepster reissue brought wider distribution but preserved the original's intimate quality . --- ## Themes *Tigermilk* operates on several interconnected thematic levels: 1. **Outsider narratives**: Nearly every song centers on someone marginalized—by sexuality, class, social awkwardness, or circumstance 2. **The tension between surface and depth**: Upbeat, even jaunty melodies often carry devastating lyrics (the "twee" sound masking emotional complexity) 3. **Literary self-awareness**: The album is full of books, reading, and writing—characters read novels, priests write trashy books based on confessions, and Murdoch constructs nested narratives 4. **Scottish working-class identity**: References to city buses, department stores, and church life ground the songs in specific social reality The album's cover art—a photograph by Murdoch of his then-girlfriend **Joanne Kenley** nursing a stuffed tiger in a bathtub—perfectly encapsulates these themes: **sensuality mixed with childlike whimsy, intimacy with surrealism** . --- ## Influence & Legacy *Tigermilk* has proven **extraordinarily influential** on indie pop: - **Pioneered chamber pop**: The orchestral arrangements influenced bands like **Camera Obscura** directly - **Defined twee pop**: The album helped establish the "twee" aesthetic—whimsical, introspective, emotionally vulnerable—that influenced **The Pains of Being Pure at Heart** and countless others - **DIY as virtue**: The album's origin story (student project, limited pressing, word-of-mouth success) became a model for independent music production - **Cultural recognition**: Included in the **2006 edition of *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die*** The album's 25th anniversary in 2021 prompted renewed appreciation for its **resourceful creativity** in an era of streaming and polished production . --- ## Pros ✅ **Exceptional songwriting**: Stuart Murdoch's character studies are novelistic in scope and psychological depth ✅ **Unique sonic identity**: The chamber-pop arrangements and lo-fi production create an intimate, timeless atmosphere ✅ **Strong opening run**: "The State I Am In," "Expectations," and "She's Losing It" form one of indie pop's best three-song sequences ✅ **Emotional complexity**: Manages to be simultaneously cynical and hopeful, melancholic and melodic ✅ **Historical significance**: A foundational document of 1990s indie pop that influenced an entire subgenre ✅ **Experimental touches**: "Electronic Renaissance" shows range beyond the folk-pop template --- ## Cons ❌ **Inconsistent production quality**: The lo-fi approach, while charming, means some tracks sound rougher than others; "Electronic Renaissance" feels disconnected from the album's organic sound ❌ **Occasional lyrical clumsiness**: Some lines haven't aged well—the depiction of queer characters occasionally relies on stereotypes, and "The State I Am In" contains a line about kicking "crutches from my crippled friend" that reads as unnecessarily provocative ❌ **Genre inconsistency**: The album "really does not know what genre it wants to be," which can make for a disjointed listen ❌ **Limited dynamic range**: The gentle, hushed approach can become monotonous over 42 minutes—"the same song 12 different ways," as some critics have noted ❌ **Twee excess**: The deliberate "wussiness" and whimsy can feel cloying to listeners who prefer more aggressive music --- ## Verdict *Tigermilk* is a **remarkable debut** that announced Belle & Sebastian as major talents despite (or because of) its modest origins. While it lacks the polish and consistency of their masterpiece *If You're Feeling Sinister* (released just months later), it captures a **raw, immediate quality** that subsequent albums deliberately moved away from. The album's influence on indie pop—particularly the "twee" and chamber-pop movements—cannot be overstated. For listeners who appreciate **literary lyrics, delicate arrangements, and emotional vulnerability**, *Tigermilk* remains essential. For those who find the "cardigan brigade" aesthetic irritating, it will likely confirm their worst suspicions . **Rating**: 4/5 stars—a stunning debut with flaws that are part of its charm
Tigermilk eller If you're feeling sinister, vilken är bäst egentligen? Det rätta indiesnobberisvaret är ju Ep'sen som inte finns på albumen från samma tid. Faktumet är ju att exakt allt B&S gjorde fram t.o.m. This is just a modern rocksong Ep'n är fantastiskt. Det går liksom inte att skilja det åt, det kunde varit historiens bästa trippelalbum t.o.m. bättre än Sandinista. Tigermilk är konsekvent, vansinnigt jämn både i kvalité och i hur den låter. Bara Electronic renaissance sticker ut i sitt sound, tillika blir det min favoritlåt bland alla andra. Det är egentligen bara en smakformalitet, det kunde varit The state i am in, We rule the school eller I don't love anyone likagärna, hela plattan är kanonlåtar. Här finns inget att hitta att kritisera. Framförandet, tilltalet, låtarna och indiekontexten allt sitter som en smäck. Det är närmast en perpekt popskiva, beläst, mesig och utan manér eller åthärvor. Måste jag välja väljer jag nog ändå "...sinister" för den känns aningen mer varierad, jag spelar den lite oftare. Men det är ett fullständigt marginellt påpekande Målskillnad till en femna
Det är lätt att glömma vilken bra låt My wandering days are over är. De två första B&S-albumen är så sprängfyllda med fantastiska melodier och historier att det är lätt att missa små mästerverk, placerade som spår 8, trea från slutet. Öppningsspåret The state I am in är däremot en av signaturmelodierna i Belle and Sebastian-katalogen. Med all rätt. Värda att nämna är också You’re just a baby, We rule the school, I don’t love anyone och I could be dreaming.
Very folksy
Solid 90s indie pop rock
This was popular in the scenes I was in back in the 90s but I somehow never got around to listening to it. Now, there are a lot of albums about teen angst in the US but the delight of Tigermilk is that it's a very British take on the subject, both lyrically and instrumentally. It's a bit saggy in the middle but the opening and closing sequences are a delight.
Y'know I've given "If You're Feeling Sinister" a lot of tries, but always leave holding onto only Get Me Away I'm Dying. But Tigermilk is super lush, feels like a cloud lullabying me with the evil tales of the world, and I really don't want to say much more because the denseness of some the lyrics hasn't set in, but the singer is quite the storyteller. Also props to Electronic Renaissance, insane to learn that that was made on Cubase in the 90's, that is cool.
Here’s my review from RYM: a lot of super nice cuts off of here! The first three songs are probably the best, though the last three are also great. The only song I really go back to at this point is The State I Am In, which might still be their best song to me. Expectations is a pretty nice song that does what pretty much only their songs do for me, which is tell a story that definitely describes something in my life, but a little bit more left-of-center than others (same thing with Like Dylan In The Movies). She's Losing It has some really well-written moments, and is a pretty fun song at its best. Other noteworthy moments are electronic renaissance, My Wandering Days Are Over, I Don't Love Anyone, and Mary Jo. Best song is still State though, and frankly the only one that should really matter to someone who cares less. 9.4/10
Somehow this is a band that's completely eluded me. I know of them and I'm sure I've heard some of their songs here and there, but I don't recall them specifically. Anyway, this was a pleasant surprise. Enjoyable indie sound throughout, and a generally good record.
A delightful listen and a great accompaniment to my commute. Each track was a pleasant retreat away from the chaos and busy-ness around me. Whilst there was only one track I'd heard before, the other tracks were a great compliment to it. Didn't give it five stars only because there are other albums of theirs which I prefer.
4.5? Always a band who I think I'll hate then get surprised how interesting they are. Particularly liked Expectations which feels like a lost Love cut but namechecks Debenhams and C&A
Pleasant enough
This band is in one word: special
This was highly enjoyable, although short. The last song was weird with a voice talking over the singing, but overall it was still good.
i had always assumed that they were a saccharine acoustic coffeeshop duet. delightfully surprised. easy listening in a pretty velvet underground kind of way
A nice album and a decent debut. I think B&S have produced better stuff but this is very listenable. Just about scrapes a 4 for me.
My third favorite B&S album. If you’re enjoying this, definitely check out “The Boy with the Arab Strap” and “If You’re Feeling Sinister”
I really enjoy this record. I have a couple of B and S records but this might be my fav I’ve heard.
The State I Am In 3.7 Expectations 3.3 She's Losing It 3.6 You're Just a Baby 4 Electronic Renaissance 3.5 I Could Be Dreaming 3.4 We Rule the School 3.3 My Wandering Days Are Over 3.5 I Don't Love Anyone 3.5 Mary Jo 3.4 Score: 3.52
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
When it started I thought oh no a dirge but the track picked up and I really enjoyed it. Next few tracks were really enjoyable too in a waterboys sort of way. Then it slowly went downhill and by the end Id had enough. Pleasant surprise though
Adoeo Belle & Sebastian, e esse álbum é espetacular, adicionei diversas músicas em minhas playlists e é muito relaxante de se ouvir.
Very good spangly indie pop. Similar to 10,000 Maniacs and the Sundays of the same period. Will listen again. 4
indie pop music from scotland. it had a very limited release when it first came out, but several years later it got a proper rerelease. lyrics are warm, fuzzy, and nostalgic. this music is very classy. with the little band playing and sometimes lofi synths chiming in with the music... this is an album that's very easy on the listener's ears. if i were to put into words when it comes to this album's sound... it's like a middle school journal. it's rough, a little dusty, but it invokes countless memories and as soon as you open the pages, you get lost in the writing from your younger self.
Belle and Sebastian recogieron el testigo de losmás sensibñes grupos de los 80 (Smiths, Aztec Camera, Prefab Sprout, Patesl y obviamente Felt) y del espíritu de Donovan o Nick Drake para trasladarlo a unos 90 llenos de medianías. Este debut condensa todo su sonido, si bien yo les descubrí en el siguiente, el excelente If you´re feeling sinister. Igual de bueno que el tercero donde ya iba ganando protagonismo, para bien, Isobel Campbell. El cuarto Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant, criticado por no mantener el mismo nivel, a mi me parece muy muy bueno. Luego ya con The Life Pursuit recuperaron el nivel con el que para mi es su mejor disco, y fueron perdiendo fuelle desde entonces, pero con discos que para sí querrían la mayoría de bandas. Abren con el clásico The state that i am, siguen con otros tres temas igual de buenos: Expectations, She's Losing It, You're Just A Baby Sorprenden, mucho y para bien, con Electronic Renaissance, que podría ser de M83 o MGMT. I Could Be Dreaming es una joya por descubrir, brillante de principio a fin. We Rule The School vuelve al tono general, delicado y preciosista, íntimo. My Wandering Days Are Over suena a los Belle and Sebastian de toda la vida, aquí tenemos su sonido condensado en una canción. Stu no tiene una gran voz, pero sí muy identificable. I Don't Love Anyone en clave acústica y el cierre celestial con Mary Jo hacen un Disco Enorme, pase y escuchen. Y no hemos hablado de su colección de sencillos, caras B, EPs y toda la orfebrería a la que nos tenían acostumbrados la flor y nata del indie ochentero.
I really didn’t know what to expect going into this, but I was pleasantly surprised. A nice little album from front to back … inoffensive, well written, catchy in places. Yeah, nice little album. Not one that I feel would ever change my life, but it’s certainly been a nice little burst of positivity on a rainy February morning.
Really good
This is their debut album, but when it was first released in 1996, only 1,000 copies were pressed. It wasn’t until 1999 that a larger label picked it up and gave it a proper re-release. Overall, it’s classic chamber pop, and Belle and Sebastian are definitely one of the flag bearers for the genre.
Beautiful record. Timeless.
Excellent
An unknown band brought to light by the 1001 Must Hear List, this is what it’s all about! Tigermilk is a great debut from Belle & Sebastian, quirky, jaunty, and original alt pop that catches you right away. (3.8*s) Evidently I’m liking the Scots.
Excelente. Este álbum exala uma energia jovial imensa. Não confunda jovial com imaturo, as composições aqui são de fato maduras, realistas, adultas. Mas as temáticas possuem em si uma jovialidade contagiante, o tipo de música que te faz levantar e dançar feito idiota sem motivo algum. Um estilo de ‘Baroque Pop’ que me agrada profundamente, semelhante à grupos como Beach Boys ou duplas como Simon & Garfunkel. Vocais sussurrados, instrumentalizações simples e letras comoventes e mordazes. A única falha deste disco é sua duração, pois vamos combinar que exposição prolongada desse tipo de música pode irritar gravemente. Não chega a ser o caso aqui, mas foi por pouco, acredito que sua primeira metade seja bem mais forte que a segunda. É um álbum com canções mais lentas e monótonas e outras mais animadas e eletrônicas, sempre mantendo sua atenção. E vale a pena prestar atenção, gostei bastante das letras deste álbum, algo que eu não costumo notar. Enfim, uma ótima estréia de uma banda tremendamente charmosa e confortável. 4.5/5
4 stars; wasn't crazy about them the first time i heard the sinister album, but they've grown on me a lot. abby liked dancing to the horns with her arms up!
Always wanted to give this band a try and glad to be able to finally listen. Liking what I’m hearing. I need to pay a bit more attention to the lyrics, hoping not too depressing. Never would’ve guessed Scottish…
I love Belle and Sebastian. While Tigermilk is a good album, I definitely prefer their sophomore effort, If You’re Feeling Sinister.
If there's one thing that I learned when I still a child it's to take up hiding.
Murdoch is a killer lyricist right out the gate, and although I’m not consistently convinced by his vocals at this stage in the game (I know he eventually sounds a bit stronger), I don’t think they’re a massive turnoff either. Highlights for me on first listen are “The State I Am In”, “You’re Just a Baby”, “I Could Be Dreaming”, “My Wandering Days Are Over”, and “I Don’t Love Anyone”. This is an album that I can see rising in estimation for me if I end up becoming a fan of this group as a whole. 3.5/5
Pretty good! I think the upbeat tones of the music worked well in the broad scheme of things.
Pretty good and entertaining! If I had grown up listening to this band, it would likely be 5 stars. I will say it didn't quite have enough sticking power for me to give it full marks, but it was good enough that I will likely go back to it and maybe eventually give it a 5. But for now.
A surprising four-star performance, although I admittedly might be rounding up because of the album art.
Finally some good fuckin songs!!!!! I forgot how much I liked this album and it's full of funky little 90s indie tunes. How nostalgic can you even get??? I DON'T LOVE ANYONE...WELL MAYBE MY SISTER. like yeah, that's exactly how you feel as a teen, like 100% spot on. Other than pure nostalgia, it's also just a decently interesting album with fun synthy twinkles and distortion... also lovely Scottish spoken word overlays - I think I skipped those bits as a teen but now I'm like.. nice one, SPEAK, GIRL. 10/10 (/4*s lol)
I mean, this was catnip as a sad sad angsty 14 year old, I still know this album back to front. Re-listening as an adult, yeah some of it is way too twee for a 31-year-old palette, but you know what a lot of it holds up, particularly the more experimental synthy bits and when they kick up the energy a bit with the guitar
Reminds me of Sufjan Stevens, quite good
Tight album and very sweet with the sound
é um debut bão viu eu gosto d+ de belle & sebastian puta merda
indie pop de melhor qualidade aqui. não tem jeito, eh bão demais e poucas bandas conseguem ser igual, apesar de ser simples! eu gosto MUITO deles, viu. não sei se eh nostalgia ou o quê. mas eh doideira que teoricamente eh tudo que eu mais tenho preguiça de escutar, eh calmim demais. mas eh tão bão...... dito isso, só não é 5 porque não eh o if you're feeling sinister.
Mysigt! Inget som direkt överraskar eller sticker ut idag men ett album som jag gärna lyssnar på och känns som en inspiration för mycket som kommit efter.
Härlig känsla rätt igenom!
How does this sound so modern
curti
I was put off right off the bat as his soft, indie voice floated onto the first track… but I was quite quickly won over actually. That first track has something about it – and basically all later tracks have some kind of thing about them, be it a good melody or an interesting use of instrumentation or something else. The second track brings in violins and trumpets, but there’s also great use of synths as well. The whole thing is upbeat and fun. Part of my brain is worried about being outed as a ‘twee’ indie-rock enjoyer, but screw it. I have to give this some real credit for being such a diverse, creative album, and also a very listenable one. 3.5 rounded up.
This album is so heavenly. It’s just so soft and adorable but it still manages to have some really great creativity to it. Also I think this album really shows that having 30 people on stage has some advantages sonically. It feels like they really did everything they could inside this album. Like as if they built a box and bounced off all the walls at their own pace and it’s refreshing. This album didn’t become my new fascination, but I did listen to it on repeat several times cause I just enjoyed being in this album, it feels warm and the music feels excited to see you.
Sweet and savory
Really liked: I could be dreaming You’re just a baby
I love the sound from this band. They remind me a lot of the Kinks, in the singing and storytelling within the songs. I'm excited to hear more from this band. Standout Tracks: Expectations, She's Losing It, My Wandering Days Are Over.
To start with a positive note, I like this album - I like this band. Songs are cozy and charming. Unlucky, despite wanting to say that I notice the evolution that “Belle and Sebastian” has experienced album after album, that’s not the case. Each album sounds like the previous one. Maybe that’s my only rant.
Es bien! Tranquilero y melódico
This was my first time hearing Belle and Sebastian. I never knew it's not a duo. Nice style! I especially liked the songs with the trumpet. Interesting voice. It's almost androgynous.
A mix of really interesting stuff and fading into the background. I think if we have a second listen or so, this could be something that I grow to love. 8/10
Mellow vibes
Thought they were French the whole time. The fact that they’re not bumps them up a star.
Polite music with a little edge to it 😈
To write a Belle & Sebastian song, your lyrics need to qualify be at least two of the following: - about a girl - about childhood - about school - about church - about depression Mix and match these traits about 10 times over, and you get a really good album. 4/5
lovely! loved this. i’ll have to check out the rest of their discography.
There's something very special about Belle & Sebastian
7/10
What a pleasant surprise, I love these opportunities to listen to someone for which I had absolutely no awareness. I really enjoyed this album, thank you for that experience.
I really enjoy the combination of the retro vibe with modern day lyrics and themes. A strong debut album that didn't sound like the music being produced at the time.
This album starts off incredibly strong. The back half is still good, even if not at the same level as the opening 4 tracks. I actively disliked Electronic Renaissance, otherwise I'd happily return to any of these songs.
One of the toughest of their albums to get into as it generally lacks the catchy songs that they would go on to perfect. However, it is still a great listen with some beautifully written songs. Top Track: I Don’t Love Anyone
Catchy not complicated, simplicity done really well, and with their own unique vibe. Just something about it feels like a warm hug. This album has more of an upbeat vibe than some later stuff I’ve heard. So I’ll stick here and enjoy.
A good album, I liked You're Just A Baby, Electronic Renaissance, I Could Be Dreaming, I Don't Love Anyone and Mary Jo the most.
My favourite Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian in with another 4 for me, a lower one than If You’re Feeling Sinister which may have risen to a low 5 for me, going to re-evaluate now
Belle and Sebastian walked so Sufjan Stevens could run. There is a ton to like about this album and the more you listen to it the better it gets. “I Don’t Love Anyone” is a seriously underrated track. A great songwriter, Murdoch is not quite a strong enough singer to carry this off himself though. Very good, almost great.
youre such a baby baby girl
Twee as fuck and yet still one of my favourite albums. For the most part, this are simple vignettes set to a back beat that canters amiably behind the words. The exception is Electronic Renaissance, which is like being at a terrifying rave. If this album was a cardigan, it would have a front zip, leatherette elbow patches and pockets. It’s got couthy charm, loose arrangements and a massive debt to Donovan. Love it!
Suffers from being not quite as good as its successor. I like the opening track but the rest of the album never reaches the heights of Sinister
Comfy and well made.
I LOVEEEEE The State I Am In. Ive gone to listen to this album multiple times but I just listen to that song a few times and stop. #tweesummer.
Somehow even more twee than the other belle and Sebastian album
Ez
The weakest of Belle and Sebastian's stellar 1996 to 1999 output, but still fantastic. So packed full of wit, charm, and earnestness. Only weaker by comparison probably. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes 18/1001, 18/74 (24%) Will I get? Already have
The more I listen the more I like it. After giving it a chance I was pleasantly surprised in the end.
Yay for Belle and Sebastian! I don’t know this one as well as some others but not surprisingly it’s great.
Really close to a 5, but didn’t quite get there by the end. Still a great album.