Belle and Sebastian albums ranked from worst to best - Chuchu is a Ranker!

[@basehead617]

Stuart Murdoch is the best lyricist in music history this side of Bob Dylan - especially in the run from the debut until Life Pursuit. Even after that there are gems - I challenge you to read off the entirety of 'Nobody's Empire' without welling up. The EP compilation 'Push Barman To Open Old Wounds' is another 5 star album if considered as an album.

[@walkerandwilliam]

I like his lyrics but nothing great when compared to Momus . Another Scot but intellectually leaves poor Stuart at the starting blocks

[@macmac6479]

So My favourite Top Ten would be : 1. Dear Catastrophe Waitress 2. The Life Pursuit 3. Push Barman to open old Wounds (EP Collection) 4. If You're Feeling Sinister 5. Tigermilk 6. God Help The Girl (2009 Soundtrack Album featuring Catherine Ireton and Neil Hannon) 7. The Boy With The Arab Strap 8. Write About Love 9. Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant 10. A Bit of Previous Thanks for doing this. I saw Belle & Sebastian in Berlin last week, they still were very good!

[@macmac6479]

God help the Girl deserves Five Stars as well. Phenomenal collection of tunes. I count it as a B&S record. Most band members played on it and it was very close to Stuart's heart. And Push Barman is obviously also Five Stars, even though there are a few "fillers" since it is an EP collection. But the high points are just as good as the best album tracks (Lazy Line Painer Jane, Slim Bean Jean and so on).

[@vdubs17]

I’d move things around in the lower tiers. I’d rank Boy higher only because that was the album that really got me into them. I remember hearing Sleep the clock around on the radio in the background and I stopped immediately whatever I was doing and cranked it up as it was the most beautiful song I ever heard, and the djs not say who they were playing. A week later browsing through a record store, and they were playing it. I was thinking aww fuck!! It’s them, and they’re so good. I really wanted to hate them because my ex kinda liked them and I told her they were shit. I’ve since bought Boy 3x because I wore out the cd, then had to have it on vinyl when it was re-released. I agree not the best, but a special place in my heart.

[@dariusmendoza880]

Thanks for posting. For me Belle and Sebastian's best albums are still their Jeepster years...Tied for no. 1 for me are Sinister and Arab Strap...then Fold Your Hands...Funny but if I were just to take one album with me, it would be their collection of Singles - Push Barman...that's just how strong their Singles were...

[@ste.6026]

I always thought of B&S as top background listening and to be honest this is the first time that I have listened intently to any of their albums (a few weeks of pretty intense listening)... For myself there is not a lot between most of the albums ... I would rate them all between 3* - 4.75*... I am now a fan and they will be a welcome edition to my playlists going forward... 'Camera Obscura' are still my top Scottish band from the last couple of decades though... ALBUMS... 01... If You're Feeling Sinister… 1996 … Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying, If You're Feeling Sinister, The Boy Done Wrong Again, Mayfly, Judy and the Dream of Horses 02... Tigermilk… 1996 … She’s Losing It, My Wandering Days Are Over, Mary Jo, I Could Be Dreaming, The State I Am In, Expectations 03… The Life Pursuit… 2006 … To Be Myself Completely, Mornington Crescent, Another Sunny Day, Dress Up in You, For the Price of A Cup Of Tea, The Blues Are Still Blue, To Be Myself Completely, Act of the Apostle II 04... Dear Catastrophe Waitress… 2003 … Piazza, New York Catcher, Step Into My Office, Baby, Lord Anthony, Stay Loose, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, You Don't Send Me 05… Late Developers… 2023 Juliet Naked, Will I Tell You A Secret, When The Cynics Stare Back From The Wall 06... Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance… 2015 … The Everlasting Muse, Ever Had A Little Faith, Nobody's Empire, Today (This Army's For Peace)... 07... Write About Love… 2010 … Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John(w Norah), I Can See Your Future, 08... A Bit Of Previous… 2022 … Young and Stupid, Deathbed Of My Dreams, Do It For Your Country 09... The Boy With The Arab Strap… 1998 … Ease Your Feet in the Sea, Is It Wicked Not to Care?, Chickfactor, A Summer Wasting 10... Days Of The Bagnold Summer… 2019 Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying, Another Day, Another Night. 11…. Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant… 2000 … The Wrong Girl, Nice Day for a Sulk, Family Tree, Women's Realm 12... Storytelling… 2002... Black And White Unite, I Don't Want To Play Football, Big John Shaft SONGS... 01… The Everlasting Muse 02… Deathbed Of My Dreams (Took me several consecutive listens to realise why I loved this song immediately, it turned out to be very reminiscent of Cycles by Frank Sinatra 1968, my favourite Sinatra song ) 03… Judy and the Dream Of Horses 04… Do It For Your Country 05… For the Price Of A Cup Of Tea 06… A Plague On Other Boys (How To Solve Our Human Problems Part Two) 07… Piggy In The Middle 08… The Blues Are Still Blue 09… When The Cynics Stare Back From The Wall (with Tracyanne Campbell) 10… Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John 11… The State I Am In 12… Step Into My Office, Baby 13… Piazza, New York Catcher 14… Young and Stupid 15… Suicide Girl (Last Trip B-side) 15… Chickfactor 17… Big John Shaft 18… Act Of The Apostle II 19… The Boy Done Wrong Again 20… Dress Up in You

[@ImInterestedInApathy808]

A pretty good ranking! Nothing angering. I'm glad somebody is seeing that A Bit of Previous is a great record, loads of people who stopped listening to them because their recent albums weren't that great really need to hear it, because it was a great return to what they do best. I hope they can somewhat continue in the vein of A Bit of Previous and produce solid record after solid record again. Personal top 3 best are 1. The Life Pursuit 2. A Bit of Previous 3. Dear Catastrophe Waitress. FYI, Is it wicked not to care isn't a Sarah Martin tune, nor is Family Tree. They're from Isobel Campbell.

[@tokyochuchu]

Ok... Duly noted about Isobel Campbell. 👍

[@franciscoguerrero3473]

Thanks for providing an excellent ranking.

[@hashburystumble8808]

Tigermilk was released on the Stow College label Electric Honey after being chosen by the Music Business class students & Stuart was invited to record a 3 track CD. When Stuart was interviewed by the class he made it known he wanted to record a vinyl album which was then agreed. Stuart was not on the course but Richard was & he agreed to join the band which was not yet fully formed. Unbeknown by everyone in the class, (perhaps with one exception & the course leader, Alan Rankine,formerly of The Associates) Stuart had sent three demo tapes. One under the name Rhode Island & one under Pastie De La Bourgeoise. One tape under the name Belle & Sebastian included "The State I Am In" which was the song that was successful. I still have a copy of the demo tapes.

[@tokyochuchu]

@@hashburystumble8808 Cool! 😎

[@Marc_Etienne_Mongrain]

The thing is have been a fan of B&S since their first album. I was 15. I admire the way you can be objective about their discography. I way too tangle up in my teen / young adult memories they provided the soundtrack to and according to those memories there's no way the red and green records rank that low! ;) But sir, you are making me re-listen to it all over again. Thank You!

[@karlhughes849]

A great video, thanks! I've been a fan of B&S since a friend lent me The Boy With the Arab Strap back when it was released. I pretty much agree with most of what you say, especially regarding the deterioration since DCW and Life Pursuit. I actually think Storytelling to be a rather nice listen, but spoiled by the passages of narration (and for me better than anything they did post TLPursuit). Having stopped following B&S a few albums back I caught up when I'd heard they'd done 2 albums in the last year, but unlike you I don't really rank either of them. They're better than what came just before, but as expected, are not a patch on the glory days of their first 6 album run. With great difficulty, I'd choose FYHCYWLAP as my No. 1 B&S album, it simply has some of their best and catchiest songs (The Model, Woman's Realm and There's Too Much Love), and has some great arrangements yet without being overproduced. The cracks started with DCW, probably because Isobel left and a new producer walked in, however, the songs are stellar and along with their debut, would fill my No. 2 and 3 spots. I often think that if they'd done DCW with Jeepster it'd be their masterpiece, as it is, it all sounds rather too much like a sound track to a double-entendre laden British sitcom to be taken too seriously. It still gets 5 stars from me though. It's worth highlighting a few other relevant releases - God Help The Girl is well worth a listen, and I think the best thing Stuart Murdoch has done post DCW. And of course, the EPs which were released during the band's first 4 album run are perhaps their crowning glory (Dog on Wheels, Lazy Line Painter Jane, 3 6 9 Seconds of Light and This is Just a Modern Rock Song) - sheer perfection. @ste mentions Camera Obscura who are also great. Other bands in a similar style worth mentioning include Tompaulin and The Acid House Kings. Enjoy!

[@tokyochuchu]

I think I might have underrated FYACYWLAP. As I said in the episode; it is probably my go-to B&S record when I want that quick fix. I should probably put more unashamed love upon that album's name. Although I did come to the record's defence pretty hard, I think.

[@sanjayghosh3503]

Wow you like the same three songs from 'Fold your hands... that I love. I like the Benicassim version of the Model.

[@valentinlira1567]

12 its my fav of all time 😢, are kidding me

[@tokyochuchu]

@@valentinlira1567 Nope.

[@macmac6479]

I think is it wicked not to care was by Isobel I think not Sarah. Expectations was deliberately "lo-fi".

[@walkerandwilliam]

I was gonna point this out like a pure pedant but you beat me too it . Cheers

[@itsalolmor]

Impressive how your list starts straight up wrong

[@walkerandwilliam]

I agree with 90% of what you said and rankings but come on ….Sinister is number 1

[@Isildurs]

I disagree with your rating for Storytelling. Its a great album.

[@tokyochuchu]

Fair enough

[@dfserafine]

So So wrong about Girls in Peace Time and storytelling, maybe in my top five BS Albums

[@JohnnyRecently]

Thanks for providing an excellent ranking.