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Album Review

God Help The Girl
God Help The Girl Rough Trade

Article written by Paul M - Jun 27, 2009

God Help The Girl

He’s an ambitious fella, Mr Stuart Murdoch. He plans to write a screenplay for a film that he will then direct next year and with that in mind he has already written these fourteen tracks as its soundtrack. He’s cut no corners on this first step either with eighty performers involved, including a forty five piece orchestra, his Belle and Sebastian colleagues, Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy and an array of excellent young female vocalists (most prominently Catherine Ireton). The songs have all the lyrical sharpness we expect from his work, though while shorn of the visual action it’s difficult to fully understand what the story might be, musically, with its big orchestral vibe, lush female harmonies and lovely meandering melodies it’s definitely a highly enjoyable experience.

However, despite the presence of so many people and the fact that Murdoch only contributes vocals on a couple of numbers, it still feels like a Belle and Sebastian record, albeit one more restrained and rooted with 60s production values. There are even a couple of B&S songs reworked here, though to be honest they are less impressive than some of the new efforts. The title track is a lovely midtempo number, Ireton’s vocals utterly compelling, skipping along like a modern day Petula Clark, her voice clear with just a hint of staccato. Musician Take Heed is a dramatic stunner, from a gentle start the rhythm comes galloping in, building further with duelling strings, crashing percussion and the most sensuous but strident vocals. Come Monday Night is another corker, sweet and tender folk balladry with swoon inducing backing. These are the three that those light of wallet will be advised to download, the rest of us can wallow in yet another Murdoch near-masterpiece in its entirety and eagerly await the bigger picture in all its celluloid glory.

Links:
http://www.myspace.com/pleasegodhelpthegirl

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