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Belle and Sebastian

Push Barman To Open Old Wounds

Matador | 2005 | Album

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Belle and Sebastian have been putting out a steady stream of great music for over a decade, and for the first time ever, there’s a compilation out there with every b-side that came with all the a-sides we’ve loved for years. Push Barman to Open Old Wounds is exactly what ever B and S fan on a budget has always wanted.

The two disc set is so great and so necessary that the only thing I can do here is give you a few highlights. “Beautiful” has a brass solo that’s just what the name indicates. Though the name of the song refers to other aspects of its lyricism, this is the closest indie rock gets to emulating the jam band sound, with so many instruments joining together to create a multilayered and engaging sound. The remastered version of “Legal Man” is so sharp and exciting that you’ll just want to dance around your apartment with leg warmers and a briefcase. “This is just a modern rock song” is an epic track that contains tidbits of Belle and Sebastian’s best kinds of sounds – from dreamy rock to instrumental genius. “Judy is a Dick Slap” is nothing but synthesized sounds and solid guitar and keyboard to back it up. It’s nice to be able to focus on the melody and realize how rich and layered the B and S sound is even without vocals.

If you’re a long time Belle and Sebastian fan, this album absolutely must be part of your collection: it will compliment what you already have and add more of what you love. If you haven’t listened to them a lot, this might just make you start.

Glenna Gordon