Days of the Bagnold Summer is
Belle & Sebastian's soundtrack for
Simon Bird's 2019 cinematic adaptation of
Joff Winterhart's 2012 graphic novel. The band was hired by the director during a period when leader
Stuart Murdoch was revisiting some of his older songs, so these tunes anchor the soundtrack album. "Get Me Away from Here I'm Dying" and "I Know Where the Summer Goes" are re-recorded for the film, while "Safety Valve" dates from 1993, when
Belle & Sebastian wasn't a going concern. It is to the group's credit that
Days of the Bagnold Summer sounds cohesive. These older tunes mesh seamlessly with a handful of full new songs, and they're tied together by vivid pieces of incidental music: "Jill Pole" plays with lush '60s cinematic tropes, while "The Colour's Gonna Run" is a shimmering piece of folk-pop. The individual parts fit together elegantly, even if it flirts with the ephemeral; the music deliberately floats by, leaving trace elements of melodies and vibe behind. As a
Belle & Sebastian album,
Days of the Bagnold Summer may be a bit slight, but as a soundtrack it is considerably more cohesive and alluring than
Storytelling, all due to the group's increased mastery of texture and feel. This skill helps make
Days of the Bagnold Summer the rare soundtrack that is as effective when heard outside of the context of the film as it is heard within it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
