SOUNDTRACK: TINDERSTICKS-“City Sickness” (1993).
In Stuart David’s book, In The All-Night Café, he lists the songs on a mixtape that Stuart Murdoch gave to him when they first met.
Although I’ve been a fan of Belle & Sebastian for a long time, I knew almost none of the songs on this mixtape. So, much like Stuart David, I’m listening to them for the first time trying to see how they inspire Stuart Murdoch.
In the book, David writes how much he does not like “rock,” especially music based around bluesy rock. Most of these songs, accordingly, do not do that. In fact, most of these songs are (unsurprisingly) soft and delicate.
I don’t recall when I first heard the Tindersticks, but I was immediately a fan. The camber pop was lovely, the strings gorgeous and Stuart Staples’ voice was deep and robust. Yes, his lyrics are dark or at least sad (or they always seem like they are even when they aren’t), but his voice makes you want to listen to everything he has to say.
This song has a simple melody and a gentle sweeping chorus complete with strings and glockenspiel all underpinned with an almost pop melody. The big surprise comes during the instrumental break which features a… guitar, violin(?) mixed really low in the background, playing a kind of noise/screeching sound that you almost don’t notice until it stops.
Tindersticks would go on to write many more great albums over the years and are still going.
[READ: February 3, 2021] “A Challenge You Have Overcome”
This is about a couple, Steve and Andrea, who were from a long line of long marriages (on Steve’s side). They had been married 25 years, which Steve’s mother Jeanne must have been pleased by given Andrea’s family’s history.
Things weren’t perfect:
You might sleep in separate bedrooms and wash dishes in a fury. You might find a moldy peach in the refrigerator and leave it on the counter for three days as evidence of some private trial–but you would never leave.
Steve and Andrea had endured all kinds of struggles and difficulties, including Andrea losing her job and Steev hating his own job. Steve works in academic publishing and his small press is slowly going digital–something eh was definitely not interested in. Andrea had recently begun counselling high school students about getting into college.
Surely Jeanne would approve. Jeanne had lost patience with everyone toward the end of her life and was not afraid of direct honesty. Jeanne had brought Andrea to tears many times–she had no filter.
When Andrea talked to students she imagined Jeanne was there with her
“I think she’ll have good options,” Andrea assured a girls’ mother while Jeanne in her mind said “With that transcript?”
Their own son, Nate was also preparing for college. While Andrea worked with some of his classmates, Nate was doing nothing and he wanted no help from his parents. He was spending most of his time with his girlfriend (a junior) Mackenzie. They were certainly not writing college essays.
His parents
worried, disapproved and envied him.
When he came home they reminded him that his essay for Brown was due in two weeks. Steve asked when Nate would work with his mom on the essay. Nate had no intention of working with his mom on anything.
He apparently didn’t know he needed an edge–he was fine but he’s done nothing special.
Andrea told him, you can’t just closed your eyes and say I’m going to get into Brown.
On November 1st, the day the essay was due, Nate skipped school top write it. Andrea did not pry, did not say anything. She had great tips for college essays
Avoid:
- Death of a pet
- Death of parents
- Sports injuries
- Drugs, alcohol, mental health
- A challenge you have overcome if it’s one of the above.
Asian, Jewish and just plain white, her kids had real troubles, but they were not homeless, stateless, or first-gene refugees.
When he came down from his room later she offered to proofread. He said no.
Steve said Can’t you see you’re triggering him? Now you’ll never see that application.
I was making a suggestion.
You are incapable of suggesting anything Every statement is an injunction
Steve secretly hoped that Nate’s essays were brilliant–sparkling with originality. And what if Mackenzie had done proofreading for him–she could be his second pair of eyes.
Meanwhile, Steve had been drafting resignation letter. But he didn’t have time to hand it in….
Some of the elements of this story–details like the dishwasher and walking on eggshells around a high school student felt like Goodman was sitting in my house.
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