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Jun 08, 2022 By Mark Redfern Photography by Marisa Privatera

Scotland’s Belle and Sebastian have shared a new song, “A Bit of Previous,” via a video. The song shares the title of their newest album, A Bit of Previous, which came out last month via Matador, but confusingly wasn’t featured on that album. Instead it’s a standalone single. Graham Samuels directed and illustrated the video, which was edited by Henrik Appel (who was also the digital animator). Watch it below, followed by the band’s upcoming tour dates.

“The song touched on the themes of karma and reincarnation,” says frontman Stuart Murdoch in a press release. “In the clip a woman journeys through her life ‘seeing’ people’s karma. She sees what they are and what they will become. She sees people who are doing well, who are gods in this life. ‘Just because you’ve got the high ground/Doesn’t mean you have the most fun.’ She imagines them transform into different life forms, even into walking ghosts. Conversely, she sees some who are destitute and alone. She sees them transforming into enlightened people. Finally, she imagines her own future, shrouded in cloud and mystery.”

Stream A Bit of Previous here and read our review of it here.

Previously Belle and Sebastian shared A Bit of Previous’ first single, “Unnecessary Drama,” via a video for it. “Unnecessary Drama” was one of our Songs of the Week. Then they shared its second single, “If They’re Shooting At You,” which they have dedicated to the people of Ukraine and are donating all proceeds from the song to the Red Cross. It was accompanied by a video featuring images from photographers covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “If They’re Shooting At You” was also one of our Songs of the Week. Then they shared its third single, “Young and Stupid,” via a lyric video featuring photos of the band as children, teenagers, and in their 20s. “Young and Stupid” was accompanied by a statement from actor Jon Hamm (Mad Men, Baby Driver) and also made our Songs of the Week list. Then they shared a video for the album’s “Talk to Me, Talk to Me,” which was directed by 15-year-old South London siblings Freya and Rosalie Salkeld.

A Bit of Previous was recorded in the band’s hometown of Glasgow after plans to record in Los Angeles in the spring of 2020 were scrapped due to the pandemic. The band self-produced the album, recording it themselves. The album features contributions from Brian McNeill, Matt Wiggins, Kevin Burleigh, and Shawn Everett. There are four different album covers for A Bit of Previous.

“We did it together, us and the city,” said Murdoch in a previous press release. “This record was the first ‘full’ LP recording for B&S in Glasgow since Fold Your Hands Child, 1999. We clocked in every morning, we played our songs, we wrote together, we tried new things, we took the proverbial lump of clay, and we threw it every day.”

A Bit of Previous is the band’s first proper full-length album in seven years. But in that time they have released EPs (plus an album that collected all the EPs), a soundtrack, and a live album. Their last regular album was 2015’s Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance. In late 2017 and early 2018 Belle and Sebastian released three interconnected EPs via Matador, all titled How to Solve Your Human Problems. How to Solve Your Human Problems Part 1 came out in December 2017, Part 2 came out in January 2018, and Part 3 came out in February 2018. Then all three EPs were collected in a vinyl box set and CD compilation that also came out in February 2018. In 2019 they released the soundtrack for the indie film Days of the Bagnold Summer. In 2020 they released the live album, What to Look for in Summer.

Read our interview with Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch on How to Solve Your Human Problems.

Read our review of How to Solve Your Human Problems.

Read our interview with Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch on Days of the Bagnold Summer.

Belle and Sebastian Tour Dates:

2022 Tour Dates:

Jun-8: The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Company +
Jun-10: Beer City Music Hall, Oklahoma City +
Jun-11: Stubb’s Waller Creek, Austin #
Jun-13: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville #
Jun-14: The Ritz, Raleigh ^
Jun-15: Wolf Trap, Vienna ^
Jun-16: SummerStage, Central Park, NY #
Jun-17: Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia #
Jun-18: Roadrunner, Boston #
Jul-1: Spain, Barcelona, Vida Festival
Jul-2: Spain, Madrid, Noches del Botanico,
Jul-15 Bristol, UK Lloyds Amphitheatre, Bristol Harbourside
Jul-16 Stirling, UK Cardross Estate, Doune The Rabbit Hole
Nov-13 Cardiff, UK Great Hall - Student’s Union
Nov-14 London, UK The Roundhouse
Nov-15 London, UK The Roundhouse
Nov -17 Sheffield, UK O2 Academy Sheffield
Nov-18 Liverpool, UK Olympia
Nov -19 Hull, UK Asylum, Hull University Union
Nov-21 Aberdeen, UK Beach Ballroom
Nov-23 Edinburgh, UK Usher Hall
Nov-24 Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK O2 City Hall, Newcastle
Nov-25 Manchester, UK Manchester Academy
Nov-27 Cambridge, UK Corn Exchange
Nov-28 Birmingham, UK O2 Academy Birmingham
Nov-29 Southampton, UK O2 Guildhall Southampton
Nov-30 Brighton, UK Brighton Dome

* with Divino Niño
+ with Thee Sacred Souls
% with Tennis and Thee Sacred Souls
# with Los Bitchos
^ with Japanese Breakfast and Los Bitchos

2023 Tour Dates:

Jan 8th, 2023 France - Le Mem, Rennes
Jan-10 France, Paris, Casino de Paris
Jan-11 Holland, Utrecht, Tivoli Grote Zaal
Jan-13 – Luxemborg City, Luxemborg, den Atelier
Jan-14 Germany, Hamburg, Laeiszhalle
Jan-16 Sweden, Gothenburg Tradgarn
Jan-17 Sweden, Stockholm Filadelfia
Jan-18 Norway, Oslo Sentrum Scene
Jan-19 Denmark, Copenhagen Vega
Jan-21 Germany, Berlin Tempodrom
Jan-22 Germany, Munich Muffathalle
Jan-23 Switzerland, Zurich X-tra Limmathaus
Jan-25 France, Clermont-Ferrand, Co-op de Mai
Jan-26 Italy, Milan Fabrique

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