I Could Be Dreaming: the Belle and Sebastian song-by-song, album-by-album thread

Our votes for The Everlasting Muse:

1-0
2-1
3-0
4-8
5-1
Average: 3,65

 

Today's song is "Perfect Couples", written by Belle and Sebastian and produced by Ben H. Allen III. Lead vocal is by Stevie Jackson.

Lyric.
Dave McGowan: bass
Ben H. Allen III: additional synth, programming, percussion

A longer, "extended mix" was released on the deluxe vinyl QUADRUPLE album.

Sarah Martin: Stevie [Jackson] had the idea of the “Perfect Couples” song about how he’d always shyed away from thinking that his relationships were acceptable because everybody else’s were so perfect – and then they all break up anyway.

Music based on Chris Geddes samples.

 

Extedned version:

 

This is probably the low point of the album for me - I can't believe there is an extended version as I already find the short version pretty boring! 2/5.

 

I'm a big fan of Perfect Couples. I think I get it...4/5

 

Somewhere, underneath all the samples and loops, there's quite a decent song struggling to be heard. 3/5

The video is excellent, though.

 

Live, this song really does something that just isn’t there in the record. Maybe it’s because the style needs to be heard in such a big space. Now that they’ve built their own studio I’m curious as to what the next album will sound like.

3.

 

Perfect Couples 5/5

I think it's the best Stevie song since Jonathan David. Love the lyrics theme.

Super nice chorus and coda and the percussion adds flavor.

Works super well live.

The 9 minutes version is clearly too much obviously, hell even the 5 minutes version is a bit long.

 

Yep!

 

They built their own studio?? Wow, any more info on that?

 

Have a look at their Instagram account- couple of posts in September and November with photos. Not 100% sure it’s finished yet.

 

Perfect Couples : 3.5

A fine Stevie effort in which he doesn't try to sing out of his range, but the downside is that the verse tune is a bit flat. The percussion sounds good and is a nice change of texture after so many drum tracks.

 

I read that they had converted their rehearsal room into a basic studio, so that they could at least demo stuff there. From what I've heard they did most of the work themselves, to give them something to do in lockdown.

 

While "Perfect Couples" is a pleasant change from the excessive/frenetic drum machine tracks, as usual with Stevie's songs it isn't up to the quality of Stuart's 'normal' songs, although I do like Stevie's restrained singing style here. So it's an odd song for me to rate, because on a better B&S album it would stand out as the weak link but on this album I prefer it to the drum machine tracks.

3/5

 

Perfect Couples 4/5

 

Another high point of the album, as is usual with Stevie songs. Extremely catchy and interesting lyric. 4/5

 

It's too long if you ask me, but it's pretty good. I like the chorus. It's a bit low-key and not a stunner or anything, but it fits on the album and doesn't disgrace it. Good disco sounding guitar! I love that chirpy B&S guitar sound. And there's a really pleasant lounge-disco atmosphere to this.

3.7/5

 

Our votes for "Perfect Couples"

1-0
2-1
3-3
4-5
5-1
Average: 3.52

 

Today's song is "Ever Had a Little Faith", written by Belle and SEbastian and produced by Ben H Allen III. Strings arranged by Andy Thompson.

Lyric.

Dave McGowan: bass
Ben H Allen III: additional synth, programming, percussion

This was, apparently, one of Stuart's older songs that got dusted off for this album.

 

An excellent track (not surprised that it’s an older Stuart song). 5.

 

Ever Had a Little Faith - It's pretty good. Like most of the album, for me, it's something of a warm blanket. I can't be objective...it takes me back to another time. Even though that time was only 6 years ago. 3.5/5

 

Belle and Sebastian doing what they do.
4/5

 

It doesn't seem like 7 minutes, as it's barely 5 and a half

 

I find this a bit underwhelming compared to most of Stuart's older songs, so I can see why it took him so long to put it on an album - 2.5/5.

 

3.5/5

while quite enjoyable and a nice break from the busy sound of the album, doesn't have much novelty and sound too generic.... unfortunately this seems to be the very direction the band decided to take on the following albums