Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance

Vinyl format (2LP, gatefold jacket, printed cardboard inner record sleeves).LP Track Listing:Side A1. Nobody's Empire2. Allie3. The Party LineSide B1. The Power of Three2. The Cat with the Cream3. Enter Sylvia PlathSide C1. The Everlasting Muse2. Perfect Couples3. Ever Had a Little Faith?Side D1. Play for Today2. The Book of You3. Today (This Army's for Peace)I have not liked a Belle & Sebastian album this much since 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress. Some listeners that have been listening to Belle & Sebastian since the beginning are not in love with the pop/dance style of this album, but I enjoy it. I did love "Women's Realm" off of Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant (2000), so I guess I have always liked their up beat side.I have been listening to a lot of albums with my 18-month-old daughter lately. When listening to an album, I always place the jacket next to the turntable. This is my way of displaying the cover art while listening to the music. My daughter has started connecting the album jackets with the music she hears (something that would not be happening if I only played digital music files for her). I recently started letting her choose which album to listen to and Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance is usually her first choice. She particularly likes dancing to Side 1.I have always enjoyed the cover art for Belle & Sebastian albums and Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance does not disappoint in regards to the packaging. I like the printed record sleeves with artwork and lyrics. It would be nice if they were poly lined or if they included poly sleeves to slip inside the printed sleeves.

Belle and Sebastian are an incredible band. They write lyrics that portray sensitive characters living almost surreal stories; I think this is a big part of their charm. They do a good job of combining happy songs with usually somewhat melancholy lyrics. The band is absolutely talented lyrically and poetically.This is their new album, and it didn't fail to blow me away. I had the opportunity to see this band live recently and see them perform many of the songs on this album. They say you can tell the quality of a band by the quality for their live performances and B&S certainly didn't disappoint.The album begins with what was arguably their strongest song. They released Nobody's Empire to fans early on, and I found myself pleasantly surprised with how much it sounded like old B&S. The track is danceable -- in a B&S kind of way -- and the lyrics are especially poignant and thought-provoking, inducing nostalgia (the music video on Youtube only adds to/cements this nostalgic feeling.)The songs on this album are catchy and this album is definitely worth a purchase. I bought the vinyl version and couldn't be happier with my purchase. Was happy to see the digital version was included to download as well. I'm grateful to this band for existing and continuing to create much-needed heartfelt music for today's world.

Belle and Sebastian's latest has elicited a strikingly diverse array of response from music critics: striking because each one finds something different to like or dislike about the album. Some critics, for example, find "Enter Sylvia Plath" to be one of the highlights of the album while others put it down as an example of one of the album's unsuccessful experiments with neo-disco.One can, in fact, find virtually every song on the album praised by some critics and dismissed by others The most lamentable review, surprisingly, is Jeremy Gordon's in Pitchfork, which is not particularly well-thought out, rational, or organized. It seems he docks Murdoch and Co. points for dissing Beyonce in a recent interview (I'm with Stuart on this. Read the interview at Pitchfork).So here's my advice: ignore the background noise and just listen to the album, preferably from beginning to end with headphones. It is filled with surprises and delights, and is by equal turns inspiring, moving, and just plain fun. I rank it as one of Belle and Sebastian's very best, with some of the strongest and certainly most adventurous songs they have ever written. I agree that it has many textures, but these work very well together, culminating in the beautiful final song that has a vibe entirely its own. Happy listening.

Watching this band mature as it has over many years now reminds me that those that love to play music often record lovely music for the non-musicians of the globe to enjoy.The latest from Belle & Sebastian is testament to both their maturity and their penchant towards crafting lovely pop songs such as those found on "Girls In Peacetime..." I won't belabor the issue by adding more criticism to the swollen parade of critics with something to yarn about other than to say, it's a worthy endeavor. I bought it. I play it lots. I like it heaps and I suggest if your a fan, buy a copy and get with it, yo. The CD cover shots are always so intriguing. Be smart. Love art!

It's hard to talk about the new cd of belle and sebastian and it's harder when you are the first one talking about, because belle and sebastian is one of the meaningful bands of my life, its music has been there in the back of so many moments and memories that is almost impossible judge its new chords. It's a good new cd, but it's not the best, anyway I'm going to listen to it so many times from now on... 'Cause the Belles are part of my life , its music is like a third eye on my mind.

Excellent packaging, beautiful clear vinyl. This is a Limited edition from Newbury comics. Love all the musical genres included, a bit of jazz, some rock , some pop and then the folk you know and love.

The tracklisting on the back of the CD spaces the 12 tracks like the two sides of a vinyl album and in truth this is a record of two halves. The first six are stunners to my ears. The potential hinted at by Richard X's remix of I Didn't See it Coming from the underwhelming Write About Love album is fully exploited in an exceptionally strong run of songs. The electronic pop of Nobody's Empire through to Enter Sylvia Plath combines brilliantly with the melancholic tone of Stewart Murdoch's vocals.The second side seems to run out of steam immediately with a suddeness that's almost shocking . These later songs may have been intended as a more reflective contrast with what had gone before, but in truth they just sound lacklustre and characterless. I'm at odds with some other reviewers here in failing to get the appeal of Play For Today which simply seems long to no great effect to me. Maybe with time this might grow on me. Only the closing Today (This Army's For Peace) stands out, with a genuinely affecting dreamlike feel that rounds the album out with a beautiful finale.Normally an album this divided would feel like a three star effort, but the sheer strength of the first half (and the closing song) means that this is well worth a purchase.

Not bad but sadly not on with their wonderful albums from the 90s and early 00s.

Very impressive album , so summery and melodic. Belle and Sebastian have never made a bad record in my eyes and this one is just as good as their sometimes more acclaimed early work in my opinion .

Belle and Sebastian are a love of mine, so am going to love all that they do, but this album is prime!

Never get tired of this. Lyrical and uplifting. Haven't had any of their albums before but will add to this.