Comments on: My Damascan Road’s A Transistor Radio http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:27:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: the scowl » Blog Archive » Recommended Music Writing: 30 June 2009 http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16418 the scowl » Blog Archive » Recommended Music Writing: 30 June 2009 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:07:11 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16418 [...] One: Matthew Perpetua on Stuart Murdoch’s God Help the Girl project. [...] [...] One: Matthew Perpetua on Stuart Murdoch’s God Help the Girl project. [...]

]]> By: Paul http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16395 Paul Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:40:48 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16395 "The best B&S album is The Life Pursuit. That’s just the way it is." I agree with this 110% “The best B&S album is The Life Pursuit. That’s just the way it is.”

I agree with this 110%

]]> By: Matthew Perpetua http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16393 Matthew Perpetua Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:58:34 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16393 The best B&S album is The Life Pursuit. That's just the way it is. Listen to that: That is the band Murdoch always wanted to be in. The best B&S album is The Life Pursuit. That’s just the way it is. Listen to that: That is the band Murdoch always wanted to be in.

]]> By: Bob http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16391 Bob Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:12:37 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16391 Matt, I agree. My first reaction was, "THIS is what Stuart's been doing instead of a new B&S record...and he may be taking another year to work on the film?" I think as fans we get a little antsy when our favorite artists spend time on what we feel are side projects, especially when it comes out and we feel it's subpar. Although this one is growing on me considerably. DHS, it sounds like you've given them a fair shot and your mind is made up. If you don't like the musicianship and lyrics there's not much to do, although 1) I think you may have missed some of the humor...a mistake some people make with B&S is that they think they need to take the band very seriously, and that's not expressly the case. Not that many of their songs aren't poignant and don't resonate with me on a personal level, but Murdoch is very clever and has a wicked sense of humor. 2) I also think that in 2009, Tigermilk isn't the best place to start anymore. I'd go with Catastrophe Waitress and/or Sinister. Matt, I agree. My first reaction was, “THIS is what Stuart’s been doing instead of a new B&S record…and he may be taking another year to work on the film?” I think as fans we get a little antsy when our favorite artists spend time on what we feel are side projects, especially when it comes out and we feel it’s subpar. Although this one is growing on me considerably.

DHS, it sounds like you’ve given them a fair shot and your mind is made up. If you don’t like the musicianship and lyrics there’s not much to do, although 1) I think you may have missed some of the humor…a mistake some people make with B&S is that they think they need to take the band very seriously, and that’s not expressly the case. Not that many of their songs aren’t poignant and don’t resonate with me on a personal level, but Murdoch is very clever and has a wicked sense of humor. 2) I also think that in 2009, Tigermilk isn’t the best place to start anymore. I’d go with Catastrophe Waitress and/or Sinister.

]]> By: dhs http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16390 dhs Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:55:13 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16390 I heard B&S everywhere in college and for years after, and then I actually bought Tigermilk, more recently my pandora channels churn B&S. I heard it in a friend's car this past weekend. I don't understand Belle & Sebastian/Stuart Murdoch. I just think of it as masculine femininity taken to the extreme, with middling musicianship and lyrics I don't identify with. How would you explain this band, if you had to use as few words as possible? I heard B&S everywhere in college and for years after, and then I actually bought Tigermilk, more recently my pandora channels churn B&S. I heard it in a friend’s car this past weekend.

I don’t understand Belle & Sebastian/Stuart Murdoch. I just think of it as masculine femininity taken to the extreme, with middling musicianship and lyrics I don’t identify with.

How would you explain this band, if you had to use as few words as possible?

]]> By: Matthew Perpetua http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16389 Matthew Perpetua Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:53:36 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16389 I just kinda what him to make a Belle & Sebastian record, you know? I understand why he'd want to do this, but to me, it's just dicking around. I want to hear him sing! I just kinda what him to make a Belle & Sebastian record, you know? I understand why he’d want to do this, but to me, it’s just dicking around. I want to hear him sing!

]]> By: Bob http://www.fluxblog.org/2009/06/my-damascan-roads-a-transistor-radio#comment-16388 Bob Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:48:11 +0000 http://www.fluxblog.org/?p=2581#comment-16388 I'm the opposite of you. I much prefer the original version of "Act II." I think because it always seemed to me like Murdoch was kind of poking fun of himself a little bit on that one, so it made sense to have him sing it. I may be reading the song wrong, but I always enjoyed it that way so I'm sticking to it. I dislike the production on the original "Funny Little Frog" so I like that the new one feels less cluttered. And it reminds me of mid-period Elton John (think "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" era), which I'm a fan of. I share your general reservations on this whole album, however. It often sounds a wee bit too "glitter hands" for me. Although I love, love, love "I Just Want Your Jeans." I’m the opposite of you. I much prefer the original version of “Act II.” I think because it always seemed to me like Murdoch was kind of poking fun of himself a little bit on that one, so it made sense to have him sing it. I may be reading the song wrong, but I always enjoyed it that way so I’m sticking to it. I dislike the production on the original “Funny Little Frog” so I like that the new one feels less cluttered. And it reminds me of mid-period Elton John (think “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” era), which I’m a fan of.

I share your general reservations on this whole album, however. It often sounds a wee bit too “glitter hands” for me. Although I love, love, love “I Just Want Your Jeans.”

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