Customer Rating: 
Summary: This CD Really Rings My Belle
Comment: For many hardcore fans, Belle and Sebastian's "BBC Sessions" will doubtless be the most eagerly anticipated release of 2008. This collection has been in the pipeline for a number of months now, but the final release has been delayed for various reasons.
Still...the wait is over, and "The BBC Sessions" is with us. With a live CD as an added bonus! Hurrah!
So, to the music :- We have here some marvellous renditions of the band's early material. On classics such as "The State I Am In" and "Judy" certain instruments need a tune up...guitar strings buzz occasionally and the odd vocal falls flat. Of course, these occurences serve to heighten the immense charm of these exquisite songs. To listen to the early sessions is akin to sitting in a rehearsal room with the band as they nervously execute these fragile masterpieces. It's a wonderfully intimate experience.
As the sessions progress, the band tighten up. "Seymour Stein" is great, and this is followed by a gorgeous, acoustic rendition of "Lazy Line Painter Jane". I actually prefer this version of "Lazy Jane" to the bombastic EP release. Stuart provides the entire vocal (with Stevie providing endearingly wobbly harmonies). The beat skips along gently, and the sounds are embellished by a twinkling xylophone and that old B+S staple: a muted trumpet. It sounds pure and untainted. It's great!
Another definite highlight is "Wrong Love" (known as "The Wrong Girl" in its studio guise). This is a "naked", beatless version and features a strong vocal from Stevie and a delightful cello motif. Once again, I believe this version is actually superior to the one on the "Fold Your Hands" album.
The tunes here that REALLY get the mouth watering, however, are the four final, previously unreleased numbers :- "Shoot the Sexual Athlete" is a playful tribute to The Go-Betweens and Stuart's softly spoken words rest on a bed of jangly guitars and more evocative cello work from Isobel Campbell. "The Magic of a Kind Word" is a cheerful burst of sunshine pop and the bouncy beats and three way harmonies are highly remeniscent of "Legal Man". "Nothing in the Silence" is a stunning lost classic with a whispered vocal from Isobel, further vocals from Sarah and a melodica and strings outro that aches with melancholy. "(My Girl's Got) Miraculous Technique" is a great closer, containing affected piano chords, a shuffling beat and a typically melodious vocal from our man Stuart Murdoch.
So, all in all, this is a great selection of tunes. Granted, the slightly ramshackle nature of some of these versions won't be to everyone's taste, and those who are new to B+S may be better off investing in the "Push Barman To Open Old Wounds" compilation. However, for those who want to be reminded how frail and seductive Belle and Sebastian's early music was, this is a must-have!
PS - Try to purchase the special edition of this release which features a bonus live concert performance from Belfast in 2001. The band are in fine fettle and one of the many highlights is an excellent version of The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun". It sounds like the gig of a lifetime, quite frankly!
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