I was only one year old when B & S's seminal debut Tigermilk was released. Much later in my life now, I find this fact very annoying. God, why aren't I older?
A few years ago I discovered that in the 90s, there essentially existed only one British rock group that connected with any one person entirely. Most of them fell under one genre: Britpop. For some, Oasis's monotone vocals were the cool while others fancied Blur's punk-influenced pop. The slick Brett Anderson-fronted Suede collected fans, as did the mighty Manics and the funny guys (and girls) Pulp.
For others, however, there was another British guitar group, not labelled britpop. A lovely, Scottish, intellectual and melodic outfit called Belle & Sebastian (named after a French's childrens' book) who encompassed Nick Drake's effortless songwriting and The Beatles' hooks to a fantastic standard, creating a debut album which was an amalgation of a side of the Smiths we never saw and Joni Mitchell's jollier moments. Album opener The State I am in has now become what some would label a classic. It indeed recently reached one of the highest spots on Pitchfork's recent 90s songs feature. Although perhaps not their most popular song (see Piazza, New York Catcher, which became a hit after it was featured in the popular 2007 film Juno, or the superbly catchy Step Into My Office Baby), it is B & S's trademark song - it epitomised their 'twee'. They are the ultimate Twee Pop group - that is, the genre involving simple melodies and pop tunes, with cute, quaint lyrics, inspired by love.
This, their signature style has consequently developed and over many years, has led to them becoming somewhat of a cult success. Would you believe that they won the Brit award, for best newcomer in 1999?? An award that has since gone to overproduced dancing pop babies JLS, Mika and the frickin' Darkness. How did they do this? no one really knows - but it's something that they should be proud of. It's something that the more commercially successful rock groups of the 90s (except Oasis, something your Blur's, your Pulp's etc...) never achieved. Below are Steps, one of the fabulous, really very musically credible artists who were up for the award in the same year.
When they headlined the second full day at Latitude festival in Suffolk this summer, they in fact opened with the aforementioned The State I am In, their anthem. The 20,000 enthralled fans sang back the words like a prayer. Scottish flags were rife, middle-aged men danced and even the little children, climbing Daddy's shoulders, wanted to get a good view of the group's first British show in four years. Their profound influence since Tigermilk is telling.
Although they were never really classified as Britpop as such - looking back, they should have been. Yes, Stuart Murdoch's group was a little different to the Gallaghers' and Albarn's. But that was what Britpop was all about - a wave of innovative rock groups all making different music for different people - filling the gap that The Smiths and then the Stone Roses had left behind. But unlike Oasis (who couldn't make it past the third album without being pooped over by journalists) and Blur (who have proved their irrevelance by means of cheese-making and aga-promoting), Belle & Sebastian's music is still alive in 2010.
But you may ask WHY this group are still relevant now?
Well, all it takes is a listen to their new album, fittingly entitled Belle & Sebastian Write About Love. Although packed full with stylistically similar songs to those found on Tigermilk, Dear Catastophe Waitress and the like, what they produce now still sounds so refreshing. Even now, 15 years since their masterful debut, every song feels so emotional and every little musical pinpoint is perfected. This is pure MUSICAL pop perfection. In a world where guitar bands hardly ever reach the higher realms of the charts, I feel Belle & Sebastian can still do it. Just listen to the Norah Jones-featuring Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John, or the first single from the album, Write About Love, and you will love them. And love twee.
Recorded in LA, Belle & Sebastian Write About Love is out on 11th October, on Rough Trade.
You can stream it in its entirety on NPR Radio here
