Tigermilk

I mean it's nice music and all, but this is just that kind of music that I cannot stand. Jingly jangly wishy washy boring waffly indie. Get out of my ears!

Second Belle & Sebastian album, second time I'm wondering what they're doing on this list. They don't make bad music by any means, but so much of their sound fades into the background and doesn't leave any imprint in your memory. For what it's worth, their debut album Tigermilk has a seventies vibe to it, and they do nail that indie sound perfectly.

This is an interesting album in that it arrived smack dab in the middle of the 90s but sounds like a 70s folk/chamber pop album. On many of the 70s albums that have cropped up on this project, I've talked about how those very sounds informed the indie movement for the 90s and beyond, and this album is a direct example of that. In fact, this album does a good job at tackling a lot of 70s sounds and really almost just comes off as a 70s tribute album, which I'm not mad about. Not only is this album an example of indie music being inspired by 70s music, it's an incredibly early and successful example. Indie music didn't take off in full force until the early 2000s, and yet Belle and Sebastian are found in 1996 being early progenitors of the sound as an indie movement. Not the most jamming album, and it does lull in spots, but then again, so did a lot of 70s chamber pop. Ultimately, this album is a noteworthy one when looking at the history of music, though arguably not a must listen album in general.

I'd never listened to Belle and Sebastian before until I got to review If You're Feeling Sinister a few months ago. I absolutely loved If You're Feeling Sinister, so I have really high hopes that I'm going to enjoy Tigermilk as well. While I really enjoyed this album, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I enjoyed If You're Feeling Sinister. This album was full of really pleasant arrangements, and I especially enjoyed the trumpet and string arrangements throughout the album. The vocals were great, and I liked the lyrical content and themes as well. I liked that the album had a really cohesive sound without any parts of it sounding repetitive. This album was a great example of solid songwriting and really good musicianship, and I'd listen to it again.

Not bad, but also not good enough to revisit. In general, once you've heard three or four Belle & Sebastian songs, you know what to expect!

It's a decent listen.

Just not clicking. 2.5

Sounds like Velvet Underground and Nock Drake has a baby, in a good way. Chill. Foundation of hipster pop. You can also here a lot of what Sufjan does here.

Remarkably dull and flaccid

Solid as hell indie folk rock. Incredible passion, and great musicianship.

Horribly fragile. 1.4

At first I thought this was gonna be a folk rock snooze-fest, but the album really picked up when it switched to 90's Oasis-style alternative/Brit-rock. The vocals really hold this one back from being higher.

Not really my kind of music. Lyrics were def of the time. Not my favorite.

really like it

++: You're Just a Baby, I Could Be Dreaming, I Don't Love Anyone +: Expectations, She's Losing It, Electronic Renaissance, We Rule The School, Mary Jo +-: The State I Am In, My Wandering Days are Over 7,9/10

I love a Belle and Sebastian album! Let's see if this one holds up. It's not my favorite, but I listened to a lot of their music afterwards so that was nice.

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.

Not a great fan of indie pop, this was nice though.

Pretty good. A little disjointed, but some cool ideas.

Comfort music. Isn't anything wonderful or even revolutionary because we all know that every record from B&S sounds the same, but I feel hugged by a giant plush Snorlax when I listen to.

Super low key British pop/rock. Not my favorite.

Best Song: I Don't Love Anyone. Really clever songwriting. I especially liked the uplifting crescendo of repeated "I don't love anyone" at the end of the song in a way that simultaneously feels tongue-in-cheek, earnest, honest, and sarcastic. Worst Song: Electronic Renaissance. The strength of this group for me is in their lyricism and melancholy presentation, and so converting that into an 80s style electronic song really undoes everything I like about them. Overall: A mildly disappointing album for me, given how pleasantly surprised I was with the previous Belle & Sebastian album I listened to on this list (the first I'd ever heard). For whatever reason, the lyricism didn't feel as incisive as in "If You're Feeling Sinister." Nevertheless, I still like their vibe.

Tigermilk is the brilliant debut album from Belle and Sebastian. The album was recorded quickly with funds from a Scottish welfare program. The album was an unexpected success, and made the band an international, indie-rock sensation. Belle and Sebastian make richly orchestrated alt-rock songs, with understated vocals. This collection is interesting, melodic, and of enough popular appeal to be the foundation for the band's career.

Great

Actually very good.It has that lingering sense of melancholy all throughout, and the writing is incredible for the most part. Very good album.

Not a bad album, never heard of this group before. Will give them another spin…

I understand its popularity but I think there are other bands who more fully committed to either shoe gaze or electronica.

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

Have never been a huge B&S fan, but I don't mind it.

I'm gonna be real. I wasn't looking forward to this. This just seemed like another mediocre 90s UK inclusion that really didn't need to be on the list. However, I actually kinda liked this one. It's not amazing or anything and I wouldn't go as far as to say that I loved it, but I certainly liked it. The singing is pretty alright. It kind of feels like a Scottish version of Nick Drake, and I am very fond of the Nick Drake albums I've gotten so far. The sound is fairly pleasant and also a bit varied. The writing is pretty good. The album doesn't drag for too long. There is no reason for me to dislike this album. Is it the most deserving of being on this list? No. But is it a solid album? Yeah. I think it is. High 3/5.

3.5

Easy going but not a must listen to album for me

Kind of bland and boring

Entirely pleasant.

I'll have to give this one a fair relisten when I am not so tired, but my initial reaction is "meh". I like some of the initial songs (Expectations and She's Losing It) but by the middle I was feeling ready for the album to be over. The back half of the album just kinda blurred for me. Feels like there isn't enough substance for me musically for a lot of it. Will be curious to see if being more awake helps or hurts this one but my gut is telling me it won't make much difference. We will see! I don't know if it's essential listening, but it was not horrible.

saw the album cover for this one and was like wtf am i about to listen to pressed play and shit was majestic solid 4.4/5

I love this band. I like this album, but I feel they have better. Have all their stuff--smile!

just love it

They have better albums...

Was quite surprised to see this album pop up as I like Belle & Sebastian but wouldn't say this one is their best. However, after relistening I was reminded how good it actually is. B&S are definitely a band who's sound isn't for everyone but I really like them. I'm hoping If You're Feeling Sinister is also on the list though because that album is clearly better than this one. Fav tracks: I Don't Love Anyone, She's Losing It, Expectations

IF you told me this was the soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer I would believe you.

I'd heard of this band but never heard anything by them, that I can recall. The music wasn't bad! I probably would not just choose it to listen to, but I enjoyed the album.

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

# Playlist Track - Expectations # Notes - It's kind of cool how consistent B&S are with their sound. I didn't know this specific album, nor did I know it was their debut. And it does sound like a less interesting version of the Belle & Sebastian I listened to in my teens. Which does make a lot of sense. Unlike this review. - Their later works is nicer, but still recommend getting to know this one.

Blind album and artist. Cool listen, I enjoyed it, but can we not with this album artwork?

Honestly, just If You’re Feeling Sinister but a bit worse.

It's twee pop but very good twee pop. It's always interesting to hear an album that launched derivative schlock because there's usually so much more authenticity to it. Highlights were Expectations and We Rule the School.

Not my vibe. Couldn’t get into it. Not bad just not my vibe.

I really liked this album. The State I Am In is a really strong start. The momentum keeps up for awhile but dips in the midpoint. I'll definitely relisten but for now very good. 3.8/5 -> 4/5.

I'd never intentionally listened to Belle & Sebastian before, and always thought/assumed their music was very wispy/folky. I was suprised to hear that, in fact, they use a full range of instruments. Pretty pleasant stuff. Nothing really stands out as being super memorable or catchy, but maybe more listens are required.

So classic so indie 🙏

dehä e nog dat classic

This wasn't bad, but it's not my cup of tea.

It is very very nice album! I never heard it before.

Not bad at all. I quite liked it.

If anything this album makes you sad with song after song of melancholy monotony.

100% pure uncut music for people who read books at the bar

Absolute classic, used to listen to it in my bedroom on bell road. Love it will always love it, makes me cry

Fine folky album

I have the same feeling in my ears listening to Belle and Sebastian that I have in my mouth when I drink Mountain Dew. It’s okay at first, but too saccharine for more than just a sip or two. And the whole bottle leaves me feeling a little queasy and angry about how jittery I am.

Very original overall. Not a bad listen. Not sure of the quality of the vocals but seems to go with the general sound. It was OK.

Nicew 90's indie. Didn't jump up and grab me.

I wanted to give it one star since it felt like a whole lot of the same, but some tracks gave a little more. Soft 2.

This is the second Belle & Sebastian album I've had, and both left me with the same kind of notes. Something with the lyrics just doesn't work for me. Last time I said they were boring and mundane, and that's about what I hear here too. I typically like singer songwriter/ indie stuff but idk, just not something I care for. Favorite track: idk maybe "I don't love anyone" 1.5/5

Insisto, de cornudo esta banda

Muito bom, mas meio meh, quem ouviu isso nos anos 90 teve sorte

What a wonderful album. Beautiful, upbeat pop songs with warm, full arrangements and lyrics that feel like short stories. There are some surprising production choices, including some synths. “Electronic Renaissance” has a cool sound. And I like the warbly synth in the background of “I Could Be Dreaming.” I was looking for an entry point into Belle & Sebastian’s music and this was it.

I'm always surprised that this band was around in the 90's. You could tell me that every time one of their songs are played and I still think I wouldn't believe it. It's just so "modern indie folk rock"y for it to be from 1996 you know? This has the makings of an album and band that I would love. From the vocal style to the driving acoustic guitar to the brass to the single electronic track, the pacing (upbeat 2nd track hell yes!), the diversity of tempos and feels, it's all great to me. I really haven't listened to them enough but hearing this now is bringing me back to sounds that I absolutely was obsessed with, like The Decemberists, Okkervil River, and Neutral Milk Hotel when I was in college. If someone had played me this record during that time in my life I would have played this album until the burned CD-R wouldn't spin anymore. Excited to listen to this album more. Cool, unpretentious album cover.

Boring as all hell, I dunno what people see in this band.

A bunch of good songs and a couple okay ones. Reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel with a little more modern and dynamic sound

Un álbum de indie-rock interesante, pero que luego de unos cuantos minutos se vuelve tedioso y repetitivo. Si bien las composiciones musicales y las letras son destacables, la inflexión de la voz del vocalista es somnolienta y poco llamativa. No volvería a escuchar este LP. Sumamente olvidable, y no creo que merezca estar en esta lista.

Never heard this before. Only some of their later songs. This was pleasant enough but not as interesting, unfortunately. The cover kinda puts me off, too.

I've never heard of the band, or this album, or even the lone single from the album ("The State I Am In"), so that's always a nice surprise. And it's a fine album, with a much stronger/together band-sound than apparently they were when they recorded nearly all the album in three days. The album also has the great backstory of getting created as part of a music business course (and getting noticed by John Peel and Mark Radcliffe). I enjoyed listening to it, but as much as I always have a soft spot for Scottish bands, it wasn't particularly distinctive or engaging (for me).

not my thing

ok.

Not my favorite

Same song over and over. Not my thing its boring and predictable.

Lasten ruokaa on maito miehille saatava tiivisteenä eli casein hera.. Ei missään nimessä voi juoda maitoa.. Muutama hauska kappale täällä APUA.. maitolasi ppis käsistä... Älä hörpsi helppoja... Vettä ja heraa sekaisin.. saadaan uniikki yhdistelmä nestettä ja proteiinia lasissa..

gets an automatic 1 just for cover art but not much more.

Big Belle & Sebastian fan and this is one of their best, couple of tracks aren't great but overall this is a fantastic album

A very solid indie pop album. Nothing next level, but quite enjoyable start to finish

I didn't mind it but it was very same-same throughout. Perhaps their other album which is on this list I'll enjoy more, as I do often like these kinds of albums.

I love this. Brilliantly observed songs, fantastic lyrics and musically bounces along.

Felt slightly emotionless in my opinion, though I can see how someone could enjoy this. Just not me

Loved this. Especially Expectations, She’s Losing It, and My Wandering Days Are Over.

This wasn’t as good as their later stuff. I even listened to part of their latest from 2023 and it was better than this. Some nice stuff, a solid debut.

Every B&S album is a grower. This one didn’t hit me on first listen, but I might return to it.

Hey this is actually good. I was scared it was going to be pompous but the rock with folksy vibe is pretty good and relaxing. The electro addition keeps thing fresh too.

It's alright I guess, I would give it a 3.5 if I could.

Tigermilk I like the song The Boy with the Arab Strap but have never given B&S a proper go, I’ve always thought of them as having too much of a studied winsomeness and tweeness. However I’m wrong to think that - this is great! His voice does take a bit of getting used to but once you get beyond that this really opens up. There’s A LOT of Nick Drake in here, not just vocally but melodically, and some of the arrangements are very Bryter Later. That’s not a bad thing. There is also a bit more bite than I expected, both in the wryness of the lyrics and also some of the music, like the bass and guitar on You’re Just a Baby and the guitar outro on I Could be Dreaming. He has a real gift for melody and hooks as well, some lovely folky 60ish tunes and some very catchy instrumental moments. My Wandering Days are Over is a great example of this, a lovely vocal melody and very pretty trumpet and string arrangements. The State I’m In also, a lovely piano line, synth part and those little guitar moments. And the guitar xylophone and piano on I Don’t Love Anyone. Electronic Renaissance is a bit of a misstep, it’s not wholly convincing although you might argue it kind of works in a wonky homemade way. I also wasn’t as keen on She’s Losing It either, I think that just tipped over into slightly too twee. Overall though I thoroughly enjoyed this, it’s influences (Nick Drake, Donovan in particular) are clear but it’s all so well constructed, and with the sardonic lyrics it elevates its substantially from mere pastiche. Definitely going to listen to more of their stuff. ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

It stayed interesting the whole time, I enjoyed the vibes.

A bit too juvenile for me, in terms of the themes of the album, and sometimes his lisp makes me cringe, but actually it was really nice sounding and well-produced. Could reevaluate later, hard to decide my feelings about it. Also should relisten to their other album

Chill and pretty beautiful album, still not completely sold. 3/5

It was fine.

Front loaded with three of the best songs B&S have ever done

I've never heard of Belle & Sebastian and really liked this album! That's the whole point of doing this exercise, so I'm adding this to the win column. The album art makes me uncomfortable, I think I have a fear of getting bitten by fish ^^;

pretty bland, a couple decent songs but overall the singing has little energy and becomes monotonous

idk what to make of this one

Perfectly enjoyable if not particularly memorable.

I have not heard of this album before but it was very good! I immediately loved the first track: The state I am in. I will definitely listen again!

Didn't enjoy much of anything here

Simple Sweet perfection

More Scotch music. According to Wikipedia, Stuart Murdoch ran a marathon in 2:57:08 in 1986, which is arguably more impressive than this album. I enjoy this album - it’s better than anything I ever produced while at uni - but think they have more interesting stuff in other albums. That marathon time though, eh.

Nick Drake tribute band.

As with all Belle & Sebastian, it's twee and inoffensive, and not much more can be said beyond that.

Definite grower this album, first few tracks didn’t initially grab me.

2024-03-27...

I can appreciate the craft and the skill but this is not particularly for me.

Nothing special

Aldrei verið mikill aðdáeandi B&S. Ósköp huggulegt krúttindípopp.

A jaunty and heartfelt album. It’s a pretty modern sound for 1996. Seems like they influenced a lot of people to come, Conor Oberst, iron and wine, etc. You can also tell they were contemporaries with Ben Folds Five and other. The Junk soundtrack revived some of this music for me, my main association. Good stuff!

Just meh, vocals sounded bored and they wanted this album to be background music

Favourite song - shes losing it

The State I Am In // Expectations // Electronic Renaissance // My Wandering Days Are Over // 3.5/5

I pee on twee

Chill, acoustic guitar, great for a nice day in the park

The sweetest and most wistful indie pop band that makes you enjoy the simplest pleasures in life. The Nick Drake and Smiths influence with that touch of Scottish softness is a beautiful combination.

Gepflegte Langeweile.

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.

Album Nr. 66 Guter, ruhiger Indie/Alternative Rock. Mir jedoch ein wenig zu ruhig.

I do love Belle and Sebastian, twee-ness and all. The music is so aggressively upbeat and cheerful, delightfully masking the horror of the lyrics. Great combination. I forget when I stopped listening to B&S - I guess I outgrew the 90s - but should start giving them a listen again.

I quite like some of B&S’s albums from the late 1990s/early 2000s, and actually thought I had this one in my collection. Turns out I don’t, but that’s fine because while it’s the quintessential B&S sound, this album was just average to me.

Like many albums here, this doesn't get across the "7 out of 10" hump. It's got fun, catchy songs, and once upon a time, I actually sat down and listened to this album from beginning to end just because I enjoyed it, but even so, it's just good, not great. (This album also suffers some from "first half syndrome" -- the first three songs are the best. I wouldn't quite call the rest of the album filler, but it's weaker.)

One for the achingly cool kids. Me? I quite liked it.

The music's ok, but his voice is exhaustingly boring.

If you're gonna be soft, be consistently, aggressively soft. This album absolutely rocks.

I like Belle and Sebastian, but this isn't my favorite of theirs. Not a lot of stand out tracks.

It's pleasant, but does not have a spark.

Nothing really jumped out to me in the first half but then there are parts which really strongly remind me of Japanese Breakfast - a couple of songs I could easily imagine her covering. Sadly the vocal performance and the music/poduction doesn't come off as strong to me. Might just be the age? Might need listening to again.

Some absolute crackers on this (mainly She's losing it) a sad lonely sunday morning album

An album I previously dismissed as a ramshackle prequel to “If you’re feeling sinister”. My revisit was a pleasant surprise. The album is quite a statement, with strong youthful themes and ideas aplenty.

A lovely album, with a few surprises. A very soft sound but then some fun electronic sounds. Really good stuff

Nice. But boring. Suitable for background music.

One of my favourites, understated and sincere.

A bit boring

This band is just not my thing. Nothing against them. I was lucky to make it about 2/3 through this album before it became too distractingly irritating and interfered with work.

Expectations, My Wandering Days are Over, Mary Jo

First listen Saved 5/10 Top track: She's Losing It

Not my style

Great

Another mild pop-rock album. There's nothing particularly bad about it but it didn't resonate with me at all - I'd rather not listen to it again. I didn't like the vocals at all - at first I thought the singer had a slight lisp, or it was a creative decision to not enunciate, but by the end I realised it was just too monotonous.

somehow addictive

Enemmän meininkiä kuin useimmissa B&S:n albumeissa, hyvä! She’s losing it on oikein hyvä, koukkuakin löytyy. Ei silti nosta bändiä sille tasolle, että voisi pitää muuna kuin vähän tylsänä. Indiesoundin perustuksia kyllä.

Varsinkin alkupuoliskolla yllättävä määrä MELKEIN hyviä biisejä. Samaistuttavammalla esteettisellä ilmeellä voisi antaa enemmänkin anteeksi.

Chill. Rainy Sunday afternoon stuff

Ugh, more hipster folk music. Uninspiring and boring. Sounds like a rough cut of a demo tape.

90s alternative music with acoustic and electric guitar and not all that interesting vocals.

A duo whose life ambition was elevator music

Overall not my cup of tea, but seems like your typical indie band that makes for decent Sunday morning easy listening. Not a huge fan of the brass and found it was hard to understand the lyrics, so I the experience was pretty forgettable for me.

Putting a naked lady on the album cover is such a cheap, yet effective, strategy. Other than the tits, this album doesnt have a lot going for it though. 2/5

I feel like this is a predecessor of bands like Streetlight Manifesto

Pretty dull

Oddly enjoyable may listen to more of their stuff

Depressing

I know I should like Belle and Sebastian but I just can’t find much to love. Just too twee I think. Not bad at all but nothing I’m coming back to

Eh.

Meh. It’s fine background music. As a flute player, I enjoyed the intro to Mary Jo. Maybe I need to listen again to focus on the lyrics… but in first listen, it’s a 70s-throwback pop album, but not something that compels me to look up more from Belle & Sebastian. Honestly, as a band I’ve seen lauded repeatedly over the years, this is disappointing.

Pretty good throughout, I liked the sound and it was consistent.

Not to my taste at all

no

This did zero for me, boring, bland, go nowhere music.

Nice

I listened to a few songs, not all. I don't mind them

Didn’t engage me

I like it, smooth music.

war ok muss ich aber nicht immer haben

Indie

synes det er lidt kedeligt :( rigtig hyggeligt et par numre men for monotont i længden

The State I Am In er en af de bedste debut-albums-åbnere nogensinde. Resten er tit rigtig godt men osse lidt all the over the place. Jeg mærker noget debut bias her og jeg blir sur hvis deres opfølger If You're Feeling Sinister ikke er på listen, den er fra samme år og den er ærlig talt MEGET bedre

Jeg kan ret godt lide stilen på pladen, måske lige udover Electronic Renaissance, som er den der elektroniske sang.. Den passer ikke så godt ind med resten.

A brilliant debut from Belle & Sebastian! Their sound is unique with smooth. calming melodies, thoughtful lyrics with a cool indie rock music that has been their signature sound throughout their career. It's crazy, because Tigermilk isn't even their best record, but a blueprint and preview of even more wonderful things to come.

Lots of hitting skip through this akbum

easy listening this maybe ain't

Tigermilk was the 3rd album that I heard from Belle & Sebastian, shortly after my introduction to them: "The Boy with the Arab Strap" came out in 1998. This album lacks some of the poignancy of their 2nd album "If you're Feeling Sinister" and some of the jangle pop of "Arab Strap", but overall is a nice album with some great melodies and arrangements. Folk pop for the down-trodden kids.

First listen of this B&S - it felt a bit more “modern” compared with their other 90s records. Their classic sound wasn’t quite there yet. Still an enjoyable listen.

Really enjoyable indie pop

Listened to this while playing Under Falling Skies. I won! I was super familiar with the first track as I had put it on many mix cds back when that was a thing. I was singing the harmony and everything...ha ha. I was not as familiar with the rest of the album, but I still loved it! Not perfect, but pretty darn close in my book. I really love the arrangements and instrumentation...it made me want to listen to more of their albums again.

пост-брит-панк?? алкоальбом: английский стаут

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...

The State I Am in Expectations She's Losing It I Don't Love Anyone

Nothing really stuck out. If You're Feeling Sinister is way better

Not a fan. The tunes are just too soft.

I’m going to let my inner 12-year-old out just long enough to say that my favorite aspect of this album is the bewbs on the cover. Other than that, *snore*.

Ok for background music but overall too folksy for me.

pretty average pop

Loved this for a clear winter day

Worse than cancer

Not good

This was a pleasant enough listen, didn’t blow my mind though

This one didn't spark emotions one way or another for me. Very slow and quiet, sometimes I would just tune out the music and forget I was even listening to anything.

Eh, this was a nice quite album that didn't really stand out to me at all. Call me when we get the Badgermilk album.

Our second from Belle & Sebastian, which one's Belle and which one's Sebastion? Our first was wayyyy back at the beginning, maybe in our first five albums or so. I believe this is a (or the?) more famous album from them, mostly because I recognize the name. It started out strong, but after the first two tracks there wasn't much that grabbed me. As before, these guys make for a decent listen but I'm not too impressed. Favorite tracks: The State I'm In, Expectations. Album art: Black and white shot of a woman in a bath, breastfeeding a....stuffed animal? Maybe a toy fish? Kind of strange, but it's memorable, and with the striping on the fish (don't quote me on that, I'm not certain what I'm looking at), the title checks out. 3/5

It wasn't terrible.

Listenable. Melodic.

Mehhhh

Not for me.

Not bad.

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.

Not that bad tbh

This has been one of my favourite albums of all time for about 20 years now. Love it so much.

Liked some, but not all

I liked this better than I thought I would because I’ve always had an impression that they are unbearably twee. Next day thought I can’t remember much about it so it’s a 3 from me. May revisit at some point

Nice and mellow album. That’s what I call a good debut.

Not my thing. Awful.

It's been an hour since I listened and I can't remember anything specific about the album, other than it was pleasant but very vanilla

It was ok, nothing special

Nice and dreamy Fav track: electric renaissance Light 3.5

Need to give this another spin to fully appreciate it I think, it was a bit backgrounded for my listen. But I found the pervasive pleasantness quite effective which is rare for me. Some great lyrics that popped out even though I'm not always one to pick up on lyrics. Would be interested to come back. Fave track: Expectations

Yeah, I like I like. Gentle and melodic pop to get me through the Friday afternoon. Ticked boxes, made me feel nice and nod my head along. Good. Three and a half. Fave track: Electronic Renaissance

Great Scottish band!

Folky & upbeat, just a little slow for my taste.

Tigermilk has a perfectly average chamber pop sound, that was perfectly middle of the road. Their lyrics weave through strange stories of what I can only presume are of their town, that have religious conservative overtones, that if you're absentmindedly listening you wouldn't pick up. Best: Expectations Worst: We Rule The School

A nice indie album, I liked it. A few moments recalled The Shins, Postal Service, and The Smiths. Seems like homemade music made by honest music people. Would need to listen more to get a real feel, also interested in checking out Belle and Sebastian’s newer stuff. Three stars.

This one is decent. No real stand out songs for me. Good enough indie music but I dont think I would ever relisten

I actually liked it more than I thought I would but still not my cup of tea.

Rating: 8.5/10 Great album, nice mix of indie rock and folk. Loved the variety of instruments on this album, the horns and strings were very tasteful. Songwriting was consistently great, no song is boring or too long and not a single bad song on the album. Overall very pleasant to listen to, I especially liked the faster paced songs but the slower ones are great as well. Favorite songs: She's Losing It, You're Just A Baby, Electronic Renaissance, I Could Be Dreaming, Don't Love Anyone. Least favorite song: The State I'm In.

Boring.

familiar soft bass, weary vocal, occasionally shifting pitch and sounding like he's forgotten to take a breath. inoffensive and incredibly samey

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!

Beautiful compositions. Nice, comfortable sounding album.

Boring and I hate the way the singer has to manipulate his voice to get the high notes. It really started to frustrate me at the end to the point where I was wishing it was over. Is it worse than duckstab or einsturzende neubauten, not really, but it wasn't more interesting.

I didn't really like the first few songs, but it picked up after She's Losing it, and by Electronic Renaissance I was into it!

Yea it's alright!

Some decent stuff.

Missed this band the first time around, which is odd because I'm a child of the 80s. Solid songwriting. Stand out tracks, though I stopped paying attention while it was on as the album played. Over time I could grow to like this band.

Easy going indie. The name Belle and Sebastian made me think of a boiler room banger for some reason.

A bit more milktoast than tigermilk. Softer than I remembered

I can see the appeal, but it’s just not that exciting for me tight now

#34. I'll have to remember this band the next time I'm on a Tinder date with an LA girl with a wide brimmed hat and finger tattoos, because surely they all love this. 2/5: meh Song added to playlist: She's Losing It I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

It’s a mood.

sometimes catchy, sometimes whiny the state i am in expectations electronic renaissance i could be dreaming my wandering days are over

Not mind-blowing, I will listen more carefully just out of respect of B&S later works, but it still is sweet music

Beautiful album. Very easy to listen. Put it on while working and didn't get me distracted. Tends to be a little repetitive though.

Ok ish nice melodies

I had to check the year this was released because it sounded like a precursor to what would come out 10-15 years later with indie rock bands that dominated the mid '00s to early '10s. Thought it was interesting. 7/10.

Nr. 23/1001 The State I Am In 4 Expectations 3 She's Losing It 5 You're Just A Baby 4 Electronic Renaissance 4 I Could Be Dreaming 4 We Rule The School 4 My Wandering Days Are Over4 I Don't Love Anyone 3 Mary Jo 3 Average: 3,8 Fantastic little pop album

Nice soft music. Thanks for sharing.

Blijkbaar was dit er ook in de jaren negentig. Het is niet heel slecht, maar ook niet opvallend goed. Kabbelende niets-aan-de-hand-muziek. De hoes heeft nog de meeste attentiewaarde.

Het eerste wat opvalt is eehmmm...de hoes. Het tweede beeld dat ik krijg is een meer recente foto als achtergrond via Spotify. Je ziet 6 grijzende normalo's op een rij. Het contrast kan niet groter. Dat is ook muzikaal wel het geval. Soms valt een stukje op door creativiteit, soms is het 13 in een dozijn. Afwisselend en in balans is het album in elk geval wel.

De zanger lijkt op Ray Davies van the Kinks. En dat vat ook gelijk wel redelijk samen wat voor type muziek dit album bevat, namelijk jaren 60 folky pop. Ik ken Belle and Sebastian wat meer uit de latere periode, halverwege de 00s en 10s, toen ze wat bescheiden hitjes hadden op de alternatieve radiostations. Maar ja, deze 1001-snoblijst heeft nu eenmaal een ziekelijke fascinatie voor debuutalbums. Belle and Sebastian heeft me nooit zo erg geboeid, andere muzikanten in het genre zijn beter of het is met name vroeger beter gedaan. Maar af en toe ontsnapt er een prachtig nummer van ze. Laat ik weer eens het voordeel van de twijfel geven en tot een doorsnee 3 komen.

Mellow and pretty, these songs put me in a better mood while driving

Indie pop sound. Not bad but nothing that was overly impressive

ein gutes und fluffiges Belle & Sebastian Album

Pretty okay, I feel like the band members would be cool people.

Easy listening and melodic, indie-ish sounds. Some of it was pleasant but the lyrics all seem bland... coming of age school days material.

Blah whatevs

It’s fun, in a dreary-Scottish-rainy-day sort of way. If you’re into that.

Decent and calm album.

This album is delicate and deliberate with the layering of strings, keys, vocals and even in one case, electronic elements. It's a fun album although the first half is so much stronger than the second. I would still listen to it often enough to want it for my personal collection.

Tepid be the sounds that drape my ears, the alacrity of silence is a godsend over the voice of mediocrity.

Seems to be sweet, but i don't like that sound in general

Belle and Sebastian had a honed sound right from the start. It's no wonder, then, that the discography from the 90's through to the early 2000's has been so revered for it's precious tone. I think it's a well-put-together album, but not quite as good as their sophomore release. A nice and easy listen.

The most hipster album I've heard so far. Not necessarily a good thing.

Belle & Sebastian, the epitome of twee, burst out of the gates (or rather, walked politely through the door) with this one. It is soft and sweet, with personal lyrics that I find to be rather touching, but I still find this album's inclusion on this list to be unnecessary and another instance of the list's focus on UK albums. I don't think it's Belle and Sebastian's best, and while charming, there are a lot of artists with albums of similar quality. This is still one I first heard as a teenager, so while not a favorite, I have a soft spot for it, and as such will be granting it 4 stars.

I try and give all the albums I get at least one full listen through. I could not do that with this one. It was to whiny and thin. One additional star was given for decent lyrics, but they were in terrible arrangements.

supaboring, I hate 'em.

Enjoyable, if a little one paced. First band in this that I had seen live, albeit 5-6 years after this album. Very twee and borderline smug, but not unpleasantly so. You're just a baby and I could be dreaming were my favourites after one listen. Bonus point for being Scottish 4 🌟

average 😭

It's a good album but nothing really stood out to me.

perus 90luku sluibailua. kiinnosta PÄTKÄÄKÄÄN tämmöinen rockkia vai poppia vai indiettä vai rautaa vai roskaa.... Beautiful, eclectic indie pop album . eklektinen piti kyllä googlata. Eklektismi on suuntaus, esimerkiksi taidesuuntaus, joka yhdistelee eri suuntauksia. Eklektikko on henkilö, joka yhdistelee eri suuntauksia. olen nyt audiofiili eklektikko fanatic... my wandering days are over

meh

First song already hits

Eh it’s alright like electronic rennisance kinda puts me off the album being quite different and bang in the middle but it’s all listenable and entertaining I guess 3/5

Blended into the background for me, I wouldn't call it bad but too light for me

The first track for this album really put me off but by the end I realized that I enjoyed more songs than I disliked from this album. I’m pretty sure I’ve had another album on this list from this artist but I can’t remember what it was at all (apparently it was if you’re feeling sinister and I thought it was good). Regardless, Electronic renaissance was my favorite and everything else was good enough that I’ll give this probably the weakest 4 I’ve given

Great album for a Sunday

Darlings of the indie scene. I enjoyed this more than I expected.

Enjoyable tunes and relatively diverse sounds

Look, this is utterly lovely and listenable, but like all B&S a bit meh.

Belle & Sebastian's debut is one of the first indie rock records. It was a great introducation of the band with a lot of lovely and sweet (but not too sweet) songs. I liked it!

not feeling this one

Ok.bit dull

I feel like I would have loved this in college, but it was a little bit too twee for me right now. The platonic ideal of mid-00s indie movie soundtrack music.

Kinda like Nick Drake but I'd rather just listen to Nick Drake. Most of these songs were fairly enjoyable but I don't feel like revisiting the whole album after my initial listen.

Not a bad Indy album

A beautiful, and somewhat dreamlike, journey. Really enjoyed my time with it and will definitely be coming back for more.

It sounds 10 years newer than it is. Doesn't mean I like it. It's not terrible, but I hate the singing. I haven't heard their other records. Judging by the reviews, they have a more essential one. So I'd take this off the list. Favorite song: Expectations

This really doesn't belong on the list. I hope it gets booted in later versions. It's a slog.

A good record, but hasn't clawed into me like ..."Sinister"

Eh, shouldn't really be on here, it's closer to a collection of demos than a great album. I grabbed a bootleg of this after playing "If You're Feeling Sinister" to death, and was sorely disappointed. Such an awful cover photo too. Probably ruined them for Mark now, thanks a lot..

This must just be the week for strong debuts! What a swing for '96. Personally I think this album has a timeless sound to it. Like a lot of the band's material, it hasn't ever really gone out of style. Belle and Sebastian continues to be a favorite for hip college kids discovering "real" music for the first time, and there's something to be said for that. Although I'd argue the band's sound would never progress or evolve much past what we hear on this record, it's still a very strong, cohesive one that has a lot to offer in the way of songwriting.

Relatively charming—for something I’ll never listen to again.

Brilliant in places

So this was definitely different than what I was expecting. Maybe it was the cover, I don't know, but I was expecting some kind of techno or new age-y type of music. It seemed a lot more folk to me. I was bothered by the vocals, actually. That was the weakest point for me. They were very ramble-y like Jon Anderson, going very stream of consciousness but not in a good way. I just was not clear on what he was singing about, and it started to bother me more and more. By the time I got to the end, I was happy to not hear the singer, although the music behind him I would have liked to hear more of.

So indie pop/rock. I feel really conflicted about this genre, of which maybe Belle & Sebastian helped to re-invigorate for its explosion in the new millennium. I like some of the bands in this genre (Band of Horses, the Decemberists) while others I like some of their songs but get bored quickly (Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service) or just can't stand (The Dandy Warhols). For the most part I hate that alternative rock is now synonymous with indie rock, such that it's this soft shit that you get when looking for stations or playlists of the alternative variety. Oh right, I'm supposed to talk about the album Tigermilk. I was intrigued by the first two songs (The State I Am In is quite good) but got bored quickly. I was already looking for something new to listen to by song three. That's not quite fair because I don't think this album is bad, it's just par for the course for indie pop/rock and me. I can only take so much, especially when they get too experimental or cute (looking at you Electronic Renaissance and I Could Be Dreaming). When I go back and listen again, indie bands like B&S aren't that different from 70's folk like Simon and Garfunkel. It feels like they're going for a similar sound, they just aren't as good. Not bad mind you, just not as good.

indie, nothing really catching my ear, but not offensive

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.

A truly resplendent LP, one that makes doing this project worthwhile. The rich acoustic guitar alongside the finely-balanced vox is at once minimal but full, the production expansive but intimate. Once the synths kick in midway through, each track becomes a little miniature explosion of melody for a few minutes, a tiny burst of color that says its piece and goes. Absolutely wild how modern and progressive this one feels for being released in the 90s - it’s clear how much influence the group has had through the aughts until now for how many ideas here still resonate in today’s indie releases. I’ve neglected Belle&Sebastian up until now, but I’m looking to correct that mistake immediately.

Liked it a lot more than I expected but not enough for a 4

I like Belle & Sebastian a lot and they're usually on my rotation of music that I regularly listen to. That being said, I just don't think this album is all that great. There aren't many songs or moments that stand out. I much prefer their pair of albums from 1998 where they really round into form and get creative

A couple of saves here and there. Pretty nice background music.

There are some interesting moments but the poor overall performances don’t help with the already pretty average songwriting

Not unpleasant, but just passed over me - until after the album finished, Spotify played 'The boy with the arab strap' which I really liked. So I played the whole album again and it started to grow on me.

Already a fan of Belle & Sebastian, so I enjoyed this as well. As is generally the case with me, I knew a few songs, but rarely listened to the full albums. Everything on here is pleasant and if not my favorite, at least passable.

Belle & Sebastian take indie rock right up to the line the very line of bubble gum pop but never cross it. I like this album a lot but not as much as some others by them. It's a 4.5 for me.

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.

Really good indie-pop album. Sounds like the late 90s, and could be the soundtrack to a bunch of movies set at that time, but in the best way.

Album 106 of 1001 Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk Rating : 2.5 / 5 Favorite Track : Expectations Scottish pop. While there was nothing extremely terrible or offensive to the ear, nor was there anything quite memorable. I will listen again when I get to it in the playlist, but probably not otherwise.