matador records

Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance Vinyl Box Set

Belle And Sebastian | Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance | Deluxe Vinyl Box Set Review

Andy Fenstermaker
April 28, 2023May 13, 2023

Last year, Belle And Sebastian released what I dub as their best LP since 2006’s The Life Pursuit. That album is called A Bit of Previous. Then, back in January, they followed it up with another new release, Late Developers (which I reviewed a few months ago). Today I’m taking a look at a bit of their previous (see what I did there?) album Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance.

5 Interesting Facts About Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Andy Fenstermaker
April 27, 2023May 13, 2023

Dear Catastrophe Waitress is the sixth studio album by one of my favorite bands — the Scottish indie pop group Belle and Sebastian. As we are at the 20th anniversary this year — it was originally released on October 6, 2003 — I figured it was time to take a look back and run down 5 interesting and/or strange facts about the album.

Belle And Sebastian | Late Developers | Orange Vinyl Review

Andy Fenstermaker
January 21, 2023April 28, 2023

Hot off their 2022 LP, A Bit of Previous, comes Belle And Sebastian’s Late Developers. The album comes as a… Read More »Belle And Sebastian | Late Developers | Orange Vinyl Review

Belle And Sebastian If You're Feeling Sinister Vinyl

Belle And Sebastian | If You’re Feeling Sinister | 2007 Matador Reissue Vinyl Unboxing

Andy Fenstermaker
November 23, 2022May 13, 2023

Time flies, and the older you get, the more that simple statement rings true. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 26 years since Belle And Sebastian released their album If You’re Feeling Sinister, which they dropped way back on November 18, 1996! As I’ve been unboxing my record collection on YouTube and occasionally writing accompanying posts here on the blog, I figured this one was due some coverage.

Belle & Sebastian's Days of the Bagnold Summer

“Days of the Bagnold Summer” by Belle & Sebastian

Andy Fenstermaker
October 20, 2019May 12, 2023

Could we be seeing a turning point for the band? (A band, mind you, that I would elevate to the claim of being within my top five bands of all time.) Hint: quite possibly.

Spoon Releases Video for Can I Sit Next to You? off Hot Thoughts

Andy Fenstermaker
February 21, 2017April 18, 2023

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has really been enjoying the latest from Austin, TX band Spoon. Britt Daniel and company are at it again with a new release called Hot Thoughts, and today they dropped the album’s first video, “Can I Sit Next to You?”

Andy Fenstermaker
May 3, 2010May 2, 2010

They say, Oh, don’t call this group a supergroup! But I disagree, and there’s a distinct reason why. It’s because each member in The New Pornographers is, well, super. A.C. Newman adds his unique songwriting and vocal styling and he backs it with the phenomenal song-craft and vocals of Neko Case and Dan Bejar (Destroyer). Blaine Thurier is a film producer and lends keyboard expertise to the band, while John Collins, Todd Fancey, Kurt Dahle and Kathryn Calder round the songs out on various instruments, many of whom also lend backup vocals. This entourage of greatness is at it again with Together, their fifth proper full-length. Read More »The New Pornographers: Your Hands (Together) [mp3]

Julian Plenti: Live at Chop Suey [2009.11.16]

Emily Anderson
November 20, 2009November 20, 2009

Paul Banks was certainly the crowd favorite at the Julian Plenti show at Chop Suey on Monday night. Although there were cheers of â€œI love you, Paulâ€ throughout the set, the musicians Banks brought in to back his solo project were certainly no slouches (particularly the bassist and cellist, whose names this writer was unfortunately unable to find). Read More »Julian Plenti: Live at Chop Suey [2009.11.16]

The Cave Singers: At The Cut [Track Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
August 25, 2009August 25, 2009

The Cave Singers debuted back in 2007 with Invitation Songs, an album packed with power folk tracks like “Dancing On Our Graves” and “Seeds Of Night”. These songs were inundated with an ancient folk sound, tinged with rock. “At The Cut”, the first single off their sophomore release Welcome Joy, maintains selections from that early sound, but the emphasis now is rock tinged with folk. Read More »The Cave Singers: At The Cut [Track Review]

God Help The Girl: God Help The Girl [Album Review]

Andy Fenstermaker
July 13, 2009July 12, 2009

God Help The Girl‘s debut, self-titled LP opens with a female touch on Belle & Sebastian’s “Act Of The Apostle”, one of the champion tracks off The Life Pursuit. In comparison to Murdoch’s other project, God Help The Girl gives it not only a female front but baroque backing vocals and an orchestra background heavy with strings. Title track “God Help The Girl” finds the ladies and Murdoch enveloping the track in the pop melody common in Belle & Sebastian, primarily found in the percussion, yet both the female vocals and up-front orchestra presence reside. Read More »God Help The Girl: God Help The Girl [Album Review]