This Is Just A Modern Rock Blog

The latest release from Scottish band Belle and Sebastian collects live tracks recorded for the BBC and Mark Radcliffe, Steve Lamacq and John Peel, respectively, from 1996, when the band first emerged, through 2001, shortly before Isobel Campbell left the band to pursue a solo career. (Co-founder Stuart David had left in 2000.) Their oft imitated mix of acoustic folk, 60’s inspired orchestral pop and a decidedly sardonic and sometimes deeply cynical worldview that often belied the sunny feel of the music has been so deeply influential that it’s hard to appreciate just how groundbreaking their music sounded in 1996. To say this collection is going to be essential for Belle and Sebastian fans is almost an understatement, as almost all of the tracks featured in these sessions differ from their studio counterparts, and offer a rare opportunity to hear a band perform in a live setting at a time when these instances were rare and during a period in their career that many listeners think represents the band at their artistic peak. (The CD version of this collection includes a second disc that contains a complete live show from 2001 broadcast on BBC Evening Session.) Standout cuts: “The Stars Of Track And Field,” “Sleep The Clock Around,” “The Magic Of A Kind Word” and “Nothing In The Silence.”

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