(from CWSY#5, March '01) / home / reviews index
The Gentle Waves-
'Falling From Grace 'EP / 'Swansong For You' LP (Jeepster)
In which Belle & Sebastian's cellist, occasional singer and
occasional irritant destroys the image of Little Miss Twee.
'Falling From Grace' is a baroque-style song safe enough in its folky, 60s, trumpet-powered bomp but as suggestive as Black Box Recorder in its delicate lyrics: "You make me satisfied/ You only want to ride/ But that's alright by me…" It indicates that there's a lot more to Isobel Campbell than meets the eye -more than the image of a well-groomed young lady cuddling a cat, which decorates the cover of the album. The EP, in contrast, shows a self-penned drawing of Bel in the buff. On these collections of songs she's showing a greater depth to her lyrics and her music than on B&S contributions like the very Nick Drake-inspired 'Is It Wicked Not To Care?' or previous GW album 'The Green Fields of Foreverland'. And it's all much less sickeningly twee. Apart from the pussycat…
The 'Falling From Grace' EP is much more than merely a taster for the album. There are three collaborations with 'Domino maverick' Bill Wells, melancholic moments with music ranging from stripped-down bare to scratchily full, jazzy pieces in 'October's Sky'. The album also has a very full sound, opening with the cinematic grace of 'Let The Good Times Begin', its bare cello evoking windswept scenes. "Let the music play/ Let's not think of tomorrow" purrs Isobel, acknowledging that escapism is sometimes necessary. Like when faced with the heartbreaking story of 'Partner In Crime', where frantic whispers and a screaming violin creating an aptly claustrophobic mood.
Isobel sings so quietly, as if taking care that her breath shouldn't disturb the air around her, one sometimes has to strain their ears to hear her lyrics. But it makes the whole thing more precious. 'Sisterwoman' is a brassy, finger-clickin', Hammond-peppered '60s groover, but quiet as if the band are twisting in the front room while Mum and Dad sleep next door. For all its "ooh-ah!" enthusiasm it's not a happy song, like the rest of the album exploring experience of love (or not, as the case may be). While the gently swinging 'Pretty Things' aches "I would like somebody…", 'Loretta Young' sees Bel play the sagely elder sister. 'Solace for Pain' retreats with fairytale and recorder and 'Flood' unfolds like a much more modest 'Everybody Hurts', all sad but uplifting when you're in that mood. And the album closes with the same 'windswept' strings of the opener, but there's a much darker atmosphere here, volume rising as Isobel sings a hymn for the passing of youth -"there were secrets made in the summertime, there was magic, then…" And for the loss of innocence?
Girl's name songs and biblical allusions there may be, but this isn't Belle & Sebastian (although a number of them do crop up as backing musicians). If they'd got further into tabloid territory than their controversial Brits win got 'em, the headlines would've screamed "ISOBEL CAMPBELL- AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HER BEFORE!" This is the Isobel who sings Indian hymns with Future Pilot AKA, flirts with jazz and loves art-house movies, finding calm in wondering. And waving this mood to the audience.
