Belle and Sebastian

Belle and Sebastian were barely even Glasgow scenesters before the BBC heard them and helped break the group in Britain. These BBC sessions were recorded from 1996 to 2001, when the band's classic folk-rock sound, pop hooks and literate lyrics stood in stark contrast to both Brit rock and American post-grunge. Since they were recording live already, the band had no shortcomings to hide from the BBC and the energetic rush of "Dylan in the Movies" may actually outdo the official version. The second half highlights rarities, including "(My Girl's Got) Miraculous Technique" and "The Magic of a Kind Word."

Fans of Belle and Sebastian's witty bookworm pop are an obsessive lot, and no doubt they'll
snap up this cherry-picked collection of BBC recordings from 1996 to 2001. The draw for
devotees is four rare songs from a 2001 session, including a hilarious fan letter to kindred
indie-pop intellectuals the Go-Betweens ("Shoot the Sexual Athlete") and a kind of hushed
farewell sung by Isobel Campbell, who left the group soon after ("Nothing in the... More >