belle and sebastian are a scottish indie pop band formed in 1996. there are about seven people in the band, but most of the songwriting is led by singer stuart murdoch. they’re known for their gentle, twee music and witty songwriting influenced by acts like the smiths and some of the later velvet underground. they were named after an old french children’s book about a boy, sebastien, and his great pyrenees, belle. i think a great pyrenees is a good metaphor for this band: cuddly, cute, and simple-minded, but difficult enough to be reserved for dog lovers.
i came across this band again mostly because i’ve been hunting for ‘intimate’-sounding music. i’ve been going back to built to spill, exploring yo la tengo, even revisiting some japanese pop acts, and i’m pretty sure i’m going to have another phase with the smiths. and in the spirit of nostalgia and comfort, i returned to this song, which i listened to a couple years ago late at night.
“Seeing Other People” is a song from their 1996 album, if you’re feeling sinister. the cover unironically has a bored young person reading the trial by franz kafka, because that’s something edgy teenagers like me do. the cover also seems to be inspired by the smiths, with the same monochrome high-contrast style:
anyways, the main things that stand out about in “Seeing Other People” are murdoch’s soft vocals and the lively piano riff that brings to mind a seedy nighttime bar or a grand ballroom. fittingly, murdoch offers a sardonic take on a secret relationship where the other person is in denial. he almost sounds exasperated throughout the song as he implores his lover to either be more honest about the relationship or just give up. i like the contrast between murdoch’s nursery-rhyme vocals, with their delicate, flowing quality, and the lyrics, which have a sting of cynicism and sarcasm. overall, the song is bitingly nuanced enough to be out of the mainstream, accessible enough to like after the first listen.
p.s.: happy halloween, everyone!
