Wednesday 29 April 2020

Never Ending Mixtape part 48


Thanks for checking out my blog.

It's mainly been mixtapes/playlists through April but I will get back into the swing of things in May with blogs planned on The Strokes new album, Last Night From Glasgow's Isolation Sessions album along with the record labels 4th birthday and maybe a couple of interviews.

I've been listening to LOADS of music, so 37 songs are added to the Never Ending Mixtape, 96 hours and 10 minutes of music.

Dig in and enjoy, from the start, on shuffle, or scroll down to the first song of the new additions that are listed below. Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or click the link below.



Re-discovery - I hadn't listened to Waitin' For A Superman by The Flaming Lips in some time and it just melts my heart.

New discovery - Send Me A Postcard by The Shocking Blue is stunning, powerful garage psych pop. An absolutely blitzing song.

Run to the Horizon - Sonny Marvello
Synthesise - Sonny Marvello
Soul Fly, Pt. 1 - Amp Fiddler
Her Smile - {bsd.u}
Strings Of Life - Derrick May
Dress Up In You - Belle and Sebastian
My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down) - Carolyn Crawford
Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton
Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross
Out Of Control (The Avalanches Surrender To Love Mix) - The Chemical Brothers
I Wear Your Ring - Cocteau Twins
Buckets of Rain - Bob Dylan
How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
Like Dylan In The Movies (BBC Session) - Belle and Sebastian
Free Again - Teenage Fanclub
Zero - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Feel Alright - Graham Coxon
Kissing On You - Honeyblood
Sometimes Always - The Jesus and Mary Chain
I'll Never Be Through With You - The Bangles
Felicity - Orange Juice
Waitin' for a Superman - The Flaming Lips
Echoes - Gene Clark
Goddess on a Hiway - Mercury Rev
Porpoise Song - The Monkees
Novacaine For The Soul - Eels
Aries (feat. Peter Hook and Georgia) - Gorillaz
Crying Because - Stephen Solo
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue - Them
The Weight - The Band
Send Me A Postcard - Shocking Blue
Wait A Million Years - The Grass Roots
Louie Louie - The Kingsmen
How Does It Feel to Feel - The Creation
The Trip - Kim Fowley
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Beggin' - Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
The Adults Are Talking - The Strokes
Levitation - Beach House
Fallen Leaves - Teenage Fanclub
It's Been So Long - The Ikettes
Honky Tonk Women - Ike and Tina Turner



Friday 24 April 2020

Sibling lockdown mixtapes volume 4


It's been over a month since I caught up with my brother and sister in person. However we have been communicating by phone/video most days and our weekly 10-song mixtape challenge has been a real positive thing to look forward to curating and receiving every week.

This week the three of us have everything from a Love demo to Olivia Newton John, with legendary songwriters, performers, widescreen cinematic epics, modern day pop wonders and cult bands in between.

You'll find our tracklisting and spotify links below.

Murray
Hummingbirds (demo) - Love, Rainbows - Dennis Wilson, Juxtaposed With U - Super Furry Animals, Waitin' for a Superman - The Flaming Lips, Everything Now - Arcade Fire, Goddess On A Hiway - Mercury Rev, Porpoise Song - The Monkees, I Walk The Earth - King Biscuit Time, Rudy With A Flashlight - Evan Dando, It's A Motherf**ker - Eels


Ross
Hollywood Nights - Bob Seger, Running On Empty - Jackson Browne, This Hard Land - Bruce Springsteen, Tusk - Fleetwood Mac, Desperado - The Eagles, Walls (No.3) - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens, Baby Driver - Simon and Garfunkel, Because the Night - Patti Smith


Carla
Una spiaggia a mezzogiorno - Ennico Morricone, Collage - The Three Degrees, No More Tearstained Make Up - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Oh Baby - Rhianna, Ce soir je m'en vais (Dombrance remix) Slove, Oblivion - Grimes, Heartbreaker (feat. Jay Z) - Mariah Carey, Xanadu - Olivia  Newton-John, Levitation - Beach House, Diamond Day - Vashti Bunyan





Friday 17 April 2020

Sibling lockdown mixtapes volume 3

Hope Sandoval and Jim Reid

I am really enjoying the challenge of making a 10-song mixtape/playlist every week for my brother and sister and I am loving seeing what they create for me.

This week my playlist is focused on guitar pop with a lot of focus on chiming guitars. Scotland is well represented, as is Australia, the West Coast of America and Birmingham! I love all of these songs and I hope you enjoy checking them out.

My brother mixes it up again. There are some heavy riffs from Jack White and Supergrass, a cool cover I hadn't heard before, pop perfection from Todd Rundgren and a couple of other cracking cover versions including Ezra Furman taking on LCD Soundsystem.

The Secession and Charli XCX songs on my sisters mixtape blew me away. And I have a not so guilty pleasure in loving that Annie Lennox song. How powerful is The Fuzzy Bunnies version of The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore?! And I love the Basia Bulat song.

w/c 13/04

Murray
The Concept - Teenage Fanclub, Nothing To Be Done - The Pastels, Felicity - Orange Juice, Sometimes Always - JAMC w/ Hope Sandoval, Imperial - Primal Scream, Anything Could Happen - The Clean, Easy Come Easy Go - Grant McLennan, I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - The Byrds, Burned - Buffalo Springfield, Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow - Felt


Ross
Three Women - Jack White, Long Black Road - ELO, TVC15 - David Bowie, Ticket To Ride - Vanilla Fudge, I Can Change - Ezra Furman, Hopper - Paul Weller, Swingin' - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Gimme Shelter - Merry Clayton, Couldn't I Just Tell You - Todd Rundgren, China Grove - The Doobie Brothers, Diamond Hoo Ha Man - Supergrass


Carla
Hong Kong Garden - Siouxsie and the Banshees, Another Girl Another Planet - The Only Ones, Whole Wide World - Wreckless Eric, SuperLove - Charli XCX, In Private - Dusty Springfield, Little Bird - Annie Lennox, Michael - Secession, La La Lie - Basia Bulat, The Sun Ain't Gonna Shne Anymore - The Fuzzy Bunnies, Goodbye My Love - Yoko Ono




 

Wednesday 15 April 2020

I Walk The Earth


Trust Me #11 I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time


A funky beat and bass introduce us to I Walk The Earth before Steve Mason's beautiful voice comes in and after the first couple of verses ends we're into a real groove. Mason sings about being taken away and rising higher, this is exactly what the song does to the listener.

It's a beautiful groove and the more I listen to it, the more I appreciate how Mason melds everything together to work. The layers of bass, beats, melodies, backing vocals, bleeps, percussion ... it's incredible.

Mason has recorded and released in various guises post Beta Band, his work under the name of King Biscuit Time was the most immediate after his former band broke up. His work was pretty sporadic until he started releasing under his own name, with 4 fine albums coming in 9-years.

Mason's voice is sublime, his melodies are so natural and his ability to find a groove is uncanny. If you've never heard this song then trust me, it's a cracker.

When I walk through the earth
I get stuck in the middle
I can't see your love
I don't know your love

When I walk through the earth
I get stuck in the middle
I can't see your love
I don't know your love

Why won't you take me away?
Take me a day
Keep on rising higher

Why won't you take me away?
Take me a day
Keep on rising higher

Hey knock me
Picking on your own reality


Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton
1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells
2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond
3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell
4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot
5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon
6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras
7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans
8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland
9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave
10. Sometimes by James

Monday 13 April 2020

Sibling lockdown mixtapes volume 2



 Hi folks

I hope you and your loved ones are all well. I recently introduced you to the Siblings Lockdown Playlist weekly 10 song challenge.

I'm really enjoying making these mixtapes and I am very pleased with mix mix. I think it flows really well, it has some real moments of euphoria and there are some long tunes to get lost in as well as a complete banger from The Charlatans,


My brother Ross has another eclectic mix, starting and ending superbly with stunners from Prince and Whitney, with all kinds of stuff in between. I particularly loved hearing the Traffic song for the first time and the World Party tune is a favourite.



Carla clearly loves Fear Is Such A ... by Whyte Horses so much that she included it for the second week running. She delves into her art school years with cracking tunes from The Drums and The
Raveonettes. I love the Lady Gaga song!



Here is week 2.

W/C 06/04/20

Murray
The Last Time - Andrew Oldham Orchestra, Brother's Gonna Work It Out - Willie Hutch, Move On Up (extended version) - Curtis Mayfield, The Night - Frankie Valli, Since You've Been Gone - The Allergies, Young Hearts Run Free - Candi Staton, Shame Shame
Shame - Shirley and Company, Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Diana Ross, One To Another - The Charlatans, Love's Theme - The Love Unlimited Orchestra



Ross
Raspberry Beret (extended 12-inch version) - Prince, I Melt With You (7 inc mix) - Modern English, Don't Talk To Me About Love - Altered Images, Kyrie - Mr Mister, American Life In The Summertime - Francis Dunnery, Feelin' Alright - Traffic, Put The Message In The Box - World Party, Local Girls - Graham Parker, Sequestered In Memphis - The Hold Steady, Didn't We Almost Have It All - Whitney Houston


Carla
Lets Go Surfing - The Drums, Joanne - Lady Gaga, Fear Is Such A ... - Whyte Horses, Cry To Me - Solomon Burke, A Million Years -
Alex Ebert, That Great Love Sound - The Raveonettes, Summertime Girlfriend - AM60, Something To Bang - Absentee, Divine - Sebastien Tellier,  Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robotos Pt 1. (AOL live session) - The Flaming Lips

Saturday 11 April 2020

The Soft Bulletin



On Wednesday night, 8th April, I poured myself a large glass of red wine and went to bed with my headphones on to listen to The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin which was a feature album for Tim Burgess twitter listening party that night.

The Soft Bulletin is an album I've owned and loved for a long time. Yet it must have been years since I listened to it from start to finish.

Revisiting, the album blew me away, it had been a while, too long. The Soft Bulletin is an album with absolutely no barriers, no guard up, beautifully emotional and 100% pure.

Flowing superbly, lyrics took on greater meaning given the times we are living in. It was emotional. Tears filled my eyes on a few occasions.

The euphoric opener The Race For The Prize talks of scientists racing for the good of all man-kind, reminding us that they're just humans, with wives and children


Songs are sung from the bottom of Wayne Coyne's heart, emotion floods out, this is 100% real, 100% surreal at times, but the lyrics hit the mark all the time. Even when Wayne is singing about bugs, it seems to mean something in a super catchy psychedelic pop kind of way.

Coyne's vocals are strained, soulful and pure. The arrangements, production and imagination in the songs is utterly sublime.

Love is the greatest thing a heart can know
But the hole that it leaves in its absence can make you feel low

The sound they made was love

Suddenly everything has changed

Life without death is just impossible

Waitin' For A Superman is probably my favourite Flaming Lips song; emotion, imagery, melody ... it's a psychedelic power ballad that moves me to tears.


Is it getting heavy
Well I thought it was already as heavy
As can be



The Flaming Lips are life affirming; on record and live. I really hope that they will return to Glasgow once we get through all this. Their August 2017 show at the Barrowland was just insane - an utter celebration that had Wayne riding through the crowd on a unicorn at one point!

Until they do, find some time, grab your headphones, get your CD, record or get ready to stream and go and lose yourself in the world of The Flaming Lips. It's a real magical, mystery tour.




Tuesday 7 April 2020

Sibling lockdown mixtapes volume 1

I wish I had kept all my old mixtapes
This is one of the few I have remaining

A few weeks ago, my brother Ross suggested to our sister Carla and I that the three of us should make weekly 10-song mixtapes to help give us a musical focus in these unprecedented times. The aim is to send them to each other every Monday morning on our WhatsApp chat.

Mixtapes have a rich history in our family. I used to post mixtapes with written commentary on each song to my brother when he moved to Edinburgh to study at uni. Years later I would do the same when our younger sister went to Art School. Although by then it was cd's!

Both would send me mixtapes or cd's back. As things gradually went digital (although we all still buy vinyl) and as we got a little older, we gradually grew out of making mixtapes.

Reflecting on my younger siblings moving out the family home to study, I guess making mixtapes for them was my way of showing them I was thinking about them. As the older brother, both would regularly raid my CD and record collection to discover new music. Mixtapes were my way of communicating about music I was discovering and owned.

Family catch up a year ago
Now it's WhatsApp video calls

Now we can't see each other, mixtapes/playlists have come back to help us communicate.

There is an art to making a mixtape. I blog regularly about my Never Ending Mixtape, but I just throw songs on there. There is an art to a 10-song mixtape There are different arts.

So I'm going to share our weekly mixtapes. Here is week 1. All are very different!

I start with a short instrumental, lead into some euphoric electro/house, have some pure pop, a cool cover, a superb re-edit, some northern soul, some Charlatans and a nice hopeful message.

Ross mainly goes 80's! I love the Kiki Dee, R. Dean Taylor and INXS songs in particular. And what an epic closer!

Carla mixes it up. I particularly enjoyed the Peals song that I hadn't heard before, the classic Motown by Carolyn Crawford and the Whyte Horses closer. One of my sisters favourite bands.

Dig in - I hope you enjoy.

Volume 1 - Monday 30th

Murray
Her Smile - [bsd.u], White Love - One Dove, If Everybody Looked The Same - Groove Armada, Where Love Lives - Alison Limerick, Two Can Play That Game - Bobby Brown, Jumpin' Jack Flash - Ananda Shankar, Nowhere To Go - Smoove, Turnin' My Heartbeat Up - The M.V.P's, How High - The Charlatans,  We've Got To Find A Way Back To Love - Freda Payne


Ross
I've Got The Music In Me - The Kiki Dee Band, Say Goodbye To Hollywood - Ronnie Spector, Heart and Soul - T'Pau, French Kissin' - Debbie Harry, Church Of The Poison Mind - Culture Club, Indiana Wants Me - R. Dean Taylor, S.O.B - Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, The Loved One - INXS, There She Goes, My Beautiful World - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds


Carla
Out Of The Black - Neneh Cherry (featuring Robyn), Become Younger - Peals, Awake O Zion - Twinkie Clark, Walkin' Down The Line - Jennifer Castle, Night Shift - Lucy Dacus, Oops Here I Go Again - Edna Wright, Then I Met You - The Proclaimers, Darlin' Be Home Soon - The Lovin' Spoonful, The Abandoned Hospital Ship - The Flaming Lips, My Smile Is Just A Frown (Turned Upside Down) - Carolyn Crawford, Fear Is Such A ... - Whyte Horses



Monday 6 April 2020

Tims Twitter Listening Parties


Tim Burgess from The Charlatans has long been a hero of mine. In my teens it was cause he looked super cool, fronting one of my favourite bands who consistently released brilliant albums and singles to soundtrack my life.

In my 40's it's because Tim is super cool in a new more mature way; still fronting one of my favourite bands who still release brilliant albums and singles ... but now he does so much more! Author of 3 books, solo artist and collaborator, record label co-owner, champion of music and an absolute legend on Twitter, even more so now.

Tim's energy and positivity inspire me. He is always up to something, and then looking for something else. His restless nature, friendly personality and fire in his belly mean that he is a guy who makes things happen.

In these worrying and testing times, positivity is required more than ever. Escapism helps as well.

So Tim has introduced #timstwitterlisteningparty In short this means everyone presses play, or puts the needle on a pre-chosen album at a specific time on a specific date. Tim, plus artists and associates related to the album tweet about the songs, stories about recording, memories of tours ....


This is nothing new to Tim. He has been holding Twitter listening parties for The Charlatans for a number of years.

What is new, is that he has used his extensive network of friends to bring listening parties with The Chemical Brothers, Oasis, Flaming Lips, Twilight Sad, Super Furry Animals, Beth Orton, Orange Juice, Pulp, New Order, Doves, The Beta Band, BMX Bandits and a whole heap more.

Norman Blake has been encouraged to come back on to Twitter for a Bandwagonesque listening party for Teenage Fanclub!

Since they started I've grooved about my kitchen with beers or lay in bed with my headphones on, enjoying listening to an album from start to finish and learning a little about it along the way. I've mainly been doing this live - when the party is happening - but I've also listened to others a day or two after.

You can find a full list of confirmed albums and participants at https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/

And follow Tim on Twitter for all the updates.

Thanks to Tim for giving such a positive focus to music at a time when artists can't get out and play and fans are missing that interaction.

This week has all kinds of goodies, but I'll make sure I am listening live for The Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin, Orange Juice You Can't Hide Your Love Forever and then a glorious Saturday with The Beta Band Three EP's and  The Charlatans Between 10th and 11th and then Sunday with Pulp's Different Class and New Order Power, Corruption and Lies.

Phew!


Sunday 5 April 2020

10 from Belle and Sebastian


This is the 6th in my series of blogs where I select 10 of my favourite songs from some of my favourite bands. You can check previous blogs here;
Stuart Murdoch recently tweeted that Belle and Sebastian's plans to record their next album in California had been shelved due to the Covid-19 virus. Stuart asked his followers for advice and he seemed genuinely moved by their responses; home recordings, rehearsal room recordings, church recordings, phone recordings ... just make us an album and give us something to look forward to.

Stuart vowed to make the best album possible. This unprecedented situation that we are in might bring out the best in artists. I think we need music and art more than ever to offer escapism from reality.

The first weekend of the lockdown
Drone footage by Kenny MacLeod, Belle and Sebastian's production manager

I first heard Belle and Sebastian on a Mark Radcliffe radio show in the summer of 1996. I vividly remember The Stars Of Track And Field coming on just as I was turning into the driveway of my family home and sitting in the car until it finished. Hushed vocals, beautifully melodic, a gentle acoustic strum that became a groove, chiming guitar, a story, everything building to the refrain/chorus, a trumpet solo, the sound of fingers sliding into new chords.... Belle and Sebastian sounded like nothing else out there. Everything sounded so natural, so perfect.

Belle and Sebastian released two albums in 1996. Tigermilk on Electric Honey (a label run by Stow College) came out in June and If You're Feeling Sinister was released in November 1996 on Jeepster Recordings.

Nobody writes them like they used to
So it may as well be me

I would highly recommend reading Stuart David's In The All-Night Cafe book. An incredible account of the band forming and leading up to the release party for Tigermilk.

Stuart Murdoch had a crystal clear vision for what Belle and Sebastian should look and sound like. The way he pulled the band together is quite incredible. Murdoch sounds like he was operating on a different level around this time.

Stuart and his band were absolutely prolific, with the quality matching the quantity of songs they were producing. Following on from the 2 albums in 1996, three EP's were released in 1997 and then The Boy With The Arab Strap LP was released in 1998, along with the This Is Just A Modern Rock Song EP.

Almost 50 wonderful songs were recorded and released through 1996-1998. I think this must arguably be the most fertile and special 3-year period by any Scottish band.


I first caught them live at the Queen Margaret Union in 1997. It was a beautifully ramshackle show. They seemed so confident, yet shy, totally in the zone, completely in their own world and I felt honoured to be allowed in to it.

A band called V-Twin supported and they were incredible. Real psychedelic rock n roll with the lead singer playing a theremin at times. On guitar was Bob Kildea who would later go on to join Belle and Sebastian. As for the Belles, I remember nervous but friendly chatter on stage and the band taking breaks to go out for a cigarette. I can't remember how many people were on stage but they conjured up moments of wonder, real raw soulful, clever, melodic, pop.

Since then I have caught the band live in venues ranging from the Glasgow Uni Debating Chambers, to the Hydro via the Barrowland and the Kelvingrove Bandstand. The Bandstand show in glorious sunshine remains a real favourite Belles memory. Stuart can make the largest venue feel incredibly intimate at times, when he sits on the front of the stage, when he encourages requests, talks to the audience or drops everything to a gentle hush before whipping his band back into a groove.


The Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant (2000) and Storytelling (2002) (albeit not quite a 'proper' album) LP's passed me by a little. I fell for Dear Catastrophe Waitress in 2003 though, an album full of clever, funny and melodic sunshine pop.

The Life Pursuit (2006) is also pretty upbeat, 60's influences shine through. There was then a 4-year gap to Write About Love (2010) and then 5-years until the synth led Girls In Peacetime Want to Dance (2015).  Play For Today from the latter is one of a number of songs that narrowly missed out being included in this blog.

The band kept busy though with Stevie Jackson releasing an excellent solo album in 2011 and Stuart concluded his long term movie project God Help The Girl in 2014.

The band released 3 EP's in 2018 How To Solve Our Human Problems 1-3 in 2018 and The Days of Bagnold Summer (2019).


Belle and Sebastian have now released 10 albums, 11 if you count How To Solve Our Human Problems (a compilation of 3 EP's). There is also the incredible Push Barman To Open Old Wounds compilation that rounded up those early  EP's and singles released on Jeepster Recordings. The BBC Sessions captures some beautiful performances.

With so much material I have found it very hard to select only 10 favourites from Belle and Sebastian. There is simply so much to choose from. But here goes;

Dirty Dream No 2
In 2002 my girlfriend (now wife) and I spent 4 amazing nights exploring Barcelona. One night we wandered down some lanes in the Gothic Quarter and heard this song being played from a flat above that had the windows wide open. We stopped to listen and I marvelled at this band from Glasgow being played through a window in Barcelona. The closing section sounded extra euphoric, a stomping Motown beat with strings and horns, the sound of a band caught in a moment.


Judy And The Dream Of Horses
This song is one of my favourites because it is the absolute favourite of my very good friend Wigs. He shouts for it every time we go to see Belle and Sebastian play live.

Stuart's lyrics are a beautiful story. I mentioned euphoria above and I'm going to mention it again here. The instrumental is stunning, the sound of fingers sliding along the fret board against a soaring trumpet gets me every time.


This Is Just A Modern Rock Song
How f**king good is this song? The strummed intro, Stuart's fragile vocal, his exceptional lyrics and the build and surge after the lines I'll go and play with words and pictures, I'll admit I'm feeling strange.

The second half of the song is so clever; I'll only buy a book for the way it looks, then I'll put it on the shelf again and then the lines on the band themselves delivered by Stevie.

Stevie's full of good intentions
Richard's into rock n roll
Stuart's staying in and he thinks it's a sin
That he has to leave the house at all

This song just melts my heart, it is so perfect.


Best Friend
A couple of years ago Stuart Murdoch contacted my sister Carla to ask if she would be up for writing a song together. And Carla forgot to reply!!! Stuart thankfully turned up at the shop Carla works in part-time to check she had received the email and a mortified Carla was delighted by his persistence.

I'm so glad the two of them got together. It was a huge confidence boost for Carla and the songwriting session brought the best out of the two of them. The melody is exceptionally strong, the lyrics are clever, funny in all the right moments, telling a tale ... all the qualities that Stuart and Carla possess.

Carla wasn't originally supposed to be singing, but Stuart very kindly invited her to do just that. I loved hearing how Carla nailed the vocal in a couple of takes and how impressed the band were.

The song flows beautifully and I really wish I could have seen them perform it live on the Boaty Weekender. Hopefully once we get through these uncertain times there will be a chance to catch Carla singing this with the band some time.

Needless to say, this is a real favourite of mine.

I'm not saying that we can be best friends
But I'll take you dancing at the weekend


The State That I Am In
Over a Velvets-y groove Stuart Murdoch's thoughts and experiences mix with his imagination, running away on a glorious tale of coming out the closet at a wedding, religion, confession, the reality of turning tables at Marks and Spencers .... gorgeous vocals and yet another incredible melody. Original, beautiful, sublime, magical.

Oh and now I'm feeling dangerous
Riding on city buses for a hobby is sad


Sleep The Clock Around
A slow burning intro leads to a vocal melody that just spills out of Stuart Murdoch. I love the keyboards in this song, they just drive it along with the band grooving behind. And they really do get into a groove with this song.

And the puzzle will last till somebody will say
There's a lot to be done while your head is still young
If you put down your pen, leave your worries behind
Then the moment will come, and the memory will shine


I Didn't See It Coming
Make me dance I want to surrender, your familiar arms I remember sung by Sarah Martin is such a beautiful opening line to this 'comeback' single by the Belles. Over a shuffling Motown style beat Martin is joined by Murdoch on lead vocals as they sing we don't have the money, money makes the wheels of the world go round, forget about it honey

The song rises gloriously with a synth solo over what is now a stomping Motown beat and then Stuart takes on lead vocals take me on a train, cause I'm not flying, I can see the world from a different side

I love the feel to this song and the way Stuart and Sarah's voices gel, there is a real northern soul influence to this. Make me dance I want to surrender!


Legal Man
A number of years ago some friends and I would book downstairs in a bar called O'Henry's (now the Yes Bar) across from the famous The Horseshoe bar, down a lane slap bang in the centre of Glasgow. This is a song I played quite a few times. I love the choir style backing vocals, the production, the feel, the guitars and the whole upbeat feel to it.

L O V E love, it's coming back, it's coming back

Get out of the city and into the sunshine
Get out of office and into the springtime


Lazy Line Painter Jane
Yet again Belle and Sebastian capture something truly special. Monica Queen's voice is a dream, lifting the song and things take off and soar around 3.5 minutes in. The band create a glorious racket as Murdoch underpins Queen as they head to the stars. I find this beautifully uplifting, I always feel good when I listen to it, a band in top form.

You will have a boy tonight
You will have a boy tonight
On the last bus out of town
On the last bus out of town


Like Dylan In The Movies
Just perfect. A groovy bass riff, Stuart's lyrics and melody, the strings, the introduction of electric guitar, the shuffling groove, the rises and the falls.

Yeah you're worth the trouble and you're worth the pain
And you're worth the worry, I would do the same
If we all went back to another time
I will love you over, I will love you over
I will love you

If they follow you
Don't look back
Like Dylan in the movies