The title of the article is “A Band for Laura Bush to Love” which immediately threw me off. Most of the article is pretty good, though.
Of course, if sweet melodies alone were the source of the music’s appeal, Belle and Sebastian fans would also be James Taylor fans. But with Belle and Sebastian, the words are the thing; in Mr. Murdoch’s lyrics ? crammed with knowing references to literature, rock bands, movies, interior design, coffeehouses and bars, fanzines and fashion plates ? indie rock fans find a romantic vision of the lives of indie rock fans. More than perhaps any other music scene, indie rock thrives on the desire to be part of an exclusive club ? a fellowship built on mixed tapes, samizdat publications and superior taste. Mr. Murdoch’s diction may be elevated, but his lyrics are as densely coded as the most slang-thick rap, and the message they broadcast to Belle and Sebastian fans is flattering: you are in on a marvelous secret. (full story)