A Scottish song cycle of subtle, evolving textures

By Nathaniel Rich

There is no Scottish octet like Belle & Sebastian. Just ask any number of star-seeking music publications, from Spin to Entertainment Weekly, which have hailed them as the "next big thing" on the music scene. Matador Records agreed and picked up their last album, If You're Feeling Sinister. Magazines chronicled their story and Scotland was all set for world domination. Their new level of popularity even merited the partial availability of their albums in stores such as Cutler's.

Yet despite the excitement that Belle & Sebastian have generated in the music biz, their music does not grab the passive listener as one might expect. They play reverse lullabies, gentle wake-up music. These songs do not excite, but Belle & Sebastian are certainly a band to be excited about.

Released a year after Sinister, The Boy With the Arab Strap does not significantly expand upon Sinister's sound--not surprising considering the short period of time between albums. Nevertheless, each song on the new album expands within itself. Virtually every track begins with a musical eye-wink, timidly hinting at what is to follow. Often it is the singer's voice alone, a quietly played organ, or a muffled acoustic guitar chord progression that initiates the track, and then the sound thickens with each additional instrument. This intricate yet cohesive sound is precisely what makes Belle & Sebastian unique.

Take for instance "Sleep the Clock Around," which evokes "Like Dylan in the Movies" from the group's previous album. It fades up into a tight but quiet drum beat, which is then joined by an oscillating organ and guitar. Soon they add vocals, a keyboard, a piper, and yet another organ.

Other tracks incorporate synthesizers and what the band calls "funny instruments." On two songs they even use a small string section. (Not to worry, they do not overindulge.) Still, the most entrancing instrument on The Boy with the Arab Strap is Stuart Murdoch's velvet voice. Then again, maybe it's just his accent.

But each new sound does not pattern the others; it alters the mix of each song until the song evolves to its finish. This original method of structuring songs places Belle & Sebastian among a small group of bands whose albums invite new discoveries with each successive listen.

The lyrics, penned by band leader Murdoch, also merit attention. Although he evokes images of "a sky blue beyond compare" and "river walkways" on "A Summer Wasting," Murdoch's themes tend to shy away from lighthearted and pleasant. He often conveys a fear of the lonely, boring existence. In the album's title track he sings, "Colour my life with the chaos of trouble/ 'cause anything's better than posh isolation." In "Simple Things," he claims, "I don't exist in usual places/ Subtle as the wind is grey."

Belle & Sebastian's music is subtle--that's its attraction. The album's tragic themes contrast with the upbeat music, giving these mild-mannered Scots an edginess that catches the listener by surprise.

So what will be the fate of Belle & Sebastian? Will the quiet band from Glasgow fulfill the music industry's glowing prophecy? It seems they don't want to. Stuart Murdoch declines interviews in order to give more credit to his band mates, while the other members are not quite enthusiastic about the press themselves. They have been quoted saying they want "the music to speak for itself." On The Boy With the Arab Strap, it does. (Matador)

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