Customer Reviews

God Help The Girl

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album is an absolute masterpiece of postmodern honesty - equal parts hope and despair, to spectacular result. The album has the same thrilling qualities many people might attribute to some of the best work of the Smiths or others who combine a healthy touch of 60s-70s baroque with silky smooth singing and dead clever lyrics. Some of Stuart Murdoch's most achingly sweet productions and melodies come to life here with the dreamily perfect smorgasbord of expertly executed female vocals and impressive musicianship as well. This is a film soundtrack that does not need a film. God, I wish I could see that film! Beautiful craftsmanship like this is sadly uncommon in modern popular music. This will be a delightful and simply fun classic for years to come.

To start, I agree with what the other reviewer has said. As I am only the second person to review this album, I thought I'd give some basic info potential fans may be wondering about...

1. If I am a Belle and Sebastian fan, will I find traces of their music in this and like it as a result? YES, many traces indeed, from Stuart Murdoch's actual singing to his clever lyrics to his lyrical phrasing to some very intelligent and proper British songwriting (Pretty Eve in the Tub is reminiscent of I Love My Car in it's cleverness). Some nice harmonies too from the group of female vocalists assembled.

2. Are the B & S songs on this album basically xeroxes of the original versions found of the Life Pursuit? NO. Acts of the Apostles is considerably different and Funny Little Frog is a slower, more soulful 70's version with lots of strings. Well worth the addition of them on this disc- not just filler.

3. Are there any throwaway tracks like on B & S's other peripheral project "Storytelling?" Sort of- there is a jazzy instrumental but it is only 1 minute long and it's actually kind of catchy in a pseudo Brubeck Time Out sense (nowhere near the level of that of course). Considering the amount of tracks on this disc, 1 quick filler song isn't bad.

Overall, this album contains extremely fun and smart British songwriting that made albums like XTC's Skylarking and Shelleyan Orphan's Century Flower so enjoyable in their time. It is not mired down in the self pity and pseudo despair that Smith lyrics are often consumed with so enough of the Smiths comparisons please! Lastly, there are some very strong female vocals on this album, most notably from a woman named Catherine Ireton who takes most leads and does a beautiful job with them. Not your typical B & S female vocalist- her voice is a pleasantly surprising soulful one. Well worth the money and a follow up.

If you have have ever heard an album or two of Belle and Sebastian, you know they have a general but distinct style. Yes they experiment on every song and they sound different in that way, but there is still a "Belle and Sebness" to each one. Although Stuart Murdoch is the only member of the band to take part in this, I still feel that Style all throughout this, so much so that I cant really consider this a side project so much as them adding an extremely strong and gifted female vocalist to the Belle and Sebastian ensemble.

Vocally this album is excellent, I don't know where Stuart found Catherine Ireton, but it was a match made in heaven. She has such vocal power and range its hard to feel anything but awe of her in some of these songs. In "Musician Please Take Heed" for instance, she just sounds amazing, extreme range and clear sounding. The women that do backup vocals on this album and who have some of their own songs, are pretty excellent as well. I know other people say comparing this to Belle and Seb. is its downfall, but honestly I think the vocals on this are much stronger all around.

Lyrically this is a lot like Belle and Seb. albums, a lot of stories and mentioning of other songs. It is somewhat different from those other albums, in that I think a lot of these songs go for the throat more in regards to immediate catchiness. These songs seemed more streamlined and polished in every way compared to Belle and Seb. songs.

Instrumentally, this is a lot like a Belle and Sebastian album, except the experimentation and genre exploring comes more from earlier decades than most Belle and Sebastian Albums. This seems to explore the forties, fifties and sixties more. I really love the direction this album takes in that way and I see a lot of twee bands doing the same thing right now. The Like, The School, etc, a lot of twee bands seem to be going for the fifties/sixties pop thing right now. So I think Stuart Murdoch has to be given more than a little credit for anticipating that general genre change.

I just really liked the overall sound of this album. It didn't change a ton from Belle and Seb. stuff, but where it did, I felt like it was an improvement. I would highly recommend.

This is possibly Stuart Murdoch's finest production yet. I can hardly add to the superlatives awarded to this gem by other reviewers; even if you are not a Belle and Sebastian fan, you'll enjoy this if you like melodic pop with witty and moving lyrics. Brill Building, Girl Groups, 60s Brit-pop, 70s soul - are of these influences are present but meld into a unique and cohesive musical style. It was a joy to listen to this disc (literally, as I bought the vinyl, which is beautifully mastered and pressed). THIS is the type of writing Stephin Merrit should be doing instead of car commercials (sad).

I'll be honest. I've been excited about God Help the Girl since word was first released of its existence. I was delighted to hear the snippets of songs released on imeem ("The Psychiatrist Is In" and "Perfection as a Hipster") and have been hoping the album would live up to how much I loved those tracks.

I was not disappointed. If you're looking for something overtly Belle-and-Sebastian-esque, this isn't quite it. Stuart Murdoch sings relatively little (though the other members of B&S make many appearances), leaving the vocals mainly up to a crack team of female vocalists who outdo themselves at every opportunity. God Help the Girl is, simply, a stunning collection of pure pop for now-and-then people -- those who dream of a return to Phil Spector's girl-group confections but with, perhaps, a bit more modern spice. Catherine Ireton's voice charms the listener as soon as she begins "Act of the Apostle" (yes, the album contains two retreads of tunes from The Life Pursuit -- namely "Act of the Apostle" and "Funny Little Frog", the latter done beautiful, soulful justice by Brittany Stallings, one of the two young imeem contest winners), but the harmonies introduced by the other vocalists later on are absolutely gorgeous. The album's high points lay in its more upbeat songs, usually anchored by B&S guitarist Stevie Jackson's trademark jangle -- songs like "Perfection as a Hipster" (a winning, if vaguely creepy, duet between Ireton and Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy), the title track, and "I'll Have to Dance With Cassie" never fail to make me smile.

This is not to say, of course, that the album is without its faults. The lyrics of "Pretty Eve in the Tub" are slightly sleazy (although apt for the character singing, I suppose), and the record contains two fairly useless instrumentals ("A Unified Theory" and "The Music Room Window"). However, the biggest problem would have to be the criminal underuse of Dina Bankole, the other imeem contest winner. She sings little more than backup throughout the record, but when she sings lead on the record's final track, "A Down and Dusky Blonde", one can't help but want to hear more.

Overall, a splendid collection of tunes, reaching its zenith in the final verse of the album with heartrending harmonies from all seven women involved. Beautifully done.

This album gets better and better every time I listen to it! Beautiful songs, great 60s sound, astonishing female vocals (and some nice male vocals too). I bought the vinyl edition, which is great, and that also gave me a free mp3 download. I can listen to it everywhere, which I do! My 4 years old daughter has also become a God Help The Girl Fan!

I've been youtubing all of the songs off this album for about a week and a half! It seems to me this could easily become a "soundtrack of the summer" album. All of the female singers on this album have beautiful voices, and they definitely do B&S justice!

A friend of mine randomly suggested I check this album out. I have never listened to Belle & Sebastain, though I know of them - so I had no preconceived notions about what this album might sound like. I absolutely fell in love with God Help the Girl. The women vocalists are utterly divine - very reminisce of 60s era style singing. I honestly can not get enough of any of the songs. I also enjoy the lyrics as they're not your typical pop love songs, some of them tell stories, some are cute, some are whimsical. Most of the songs are upbeat and cheerful. I find I always feel better about life after listening to this. Nothing but love for this album.

First off, how anyone can give this less than a 5 star is beyond me. Open to new ideas, even if they are recycled from years gone by. What blows my mind with this collection of songs is the very strong cohesive melodies that bind the collection of songs as a whole. The beautiful harmonies that swiftly intertwine each song is breaththaking. I find these songs stuck in my head long after the stereo has been turned off.

So if someone is reading these reviews here, hopefully it's to gain some insight on what the disc is like and whether or not they should purchase it. For any Belle and Sebastian fans, the dice could roll either way. I am a diehard B & S Fan...but not a fan of EVERYTHING they have done in the past (Though the new release gets my vote for 5 stars as does The Life Pursuit and If You're Feeling Sinister).

This collection of songs, though obviously B&S influenced - same songwriters and musicians - have a different 60's feeling air about them. It's all very nostalgic but with a modern feel. All I can say is, if you like to sing along to music while driving in your car, this is a good one for it. Most of the songs are upbeat and cheerful and the lyrics couldn't be more clever and witty.

The EP's all contain songs that work well as tracks 15-20 on here, I excluded Baby Your Blind though it's a really good song, it doesn't fit with the feel of this disc.

To each their opinion....not everyone is bound to like this. I give it a very strong 5 stars and highly recommend it. Cheers.

I heard the title song on the local public radio station and was intrigued. You know how sometimes you hear one song on the radio and love it so much you buy the album and then you're disappointed by the rest? Well, that's not the case here. All the songs, taken together, tell a story. It's an interesting story. The characters are complex and likable. And the music is beautiful.