Belle and Sebastian’s first album is Tigermilk. It was produced as part of a government training scheme and released by Electric Honey Records in 1996. Only 1000 copies were printed at first, but Jeepster released a remastered CD version in 1999. Tigermilk offers a perfect introduction to Belle and Sebastian. All the band’s crucial elements are fully present even at this early stage. The presentation, lyrics, and music all serve to introduce a new but already conceived band to the world.
The sleevenotes provide a faux-autobiographical account of the founding of the band. They’re accompanied by sketches by Stuart Murdoch and a striking cover that literally evokes the album’s title.
The first song, “The State I Am In,” opens with Stuart Murdoch’s almost whispered vocals:
I was surprised, I was happy for a day in 1975
I was puzzled by a dream, stayed with me all day in 1995
My brother had confessed that he was gay
It took the heat off me for a while
He stood up with a sailor friend
Made it known upon my sisters wedding day
In these few lines, we see so many of the threads that run through the work of Belle and Sebastian: lost childhood, troubled adolescence, and ambiguous sexuality. In the lines and songs that follow, we encounter shifting narratives, sincere but questioning religiosity, specific local references and Lou Reed style descriptions of messed up little girls.
The music that accompanies Stuart Murdoch’s soft and sensitive vocals is luscious and reminiscent of the Velvet Underground. The effect is similar to Maureen Tucker singing for the Velvet Underground, but the vocals are more polished even as they maintain a certain amateurish vulnerability.
Tigermilk is a classic. If you haven’t heard it yet, you owe yourself a listen.
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