Push Barman to Open Old Wounds

Push Barman to Open Old Wounds is a 2005 two-disc/triple-LP compilation released by Belle and Sebastian. Blender Magazine described the collection as "25 charming tales of shy girls dabbling in photography and bookish boys dabbling in shy girls."

Push Barman to Open Old Wounds
Compilation album by Belle and Sebastian
Released	24 May 2005
Recorded	1996-2001
Genre	Indie pop
Length	107:10
Label	Jeepster
Producer	Belle and Sebastian and Tony Doogan except where noted
Belle and Sebastian chronology
Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003) Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (2005) If You're Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican (2005)

Content

The compilation contains the singles and EPs they released for Jeepster Records:

• Dog on Wheels (1997)
• Lazy Line Painter Jane (1997)
• 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light (1997)
• This Is Just a Modern Rock Song (1998)
• "Legal Man" (2000)
• "Jonathan David" (2001)
• "I'm Waking Up to Us" (2001)

The track listing features every song on the aforementioned EPs, listed in chronological order.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	89/100[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[3]
The Irish Times	[4]
Mojo	[5]
NME	8/10[6]
Pitchfork	9.2/10[7]
Q	[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
The Times	[10]
Uncut	[11]

Push Barman to Open Old Wounds received widespread critical acclaim from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 89, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".[1]

Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork gave the album a very favorable review, stating, "The most beloved indie pop band since The Smiths, Belle and Sebastian are also probably the best. This collection would work like their own Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs were the first half not sadly missing their early BBC Sessions, and the second forced to omit their Dear Catastrophe Waitress singles and Peel Session tracks. As it stands, the first is a testament to the power and pull of one the most singular and instantly lovable pop bands of our time; the second is a gentle suggestion that they took the correct post-mainstream fame steps after all, avoiding self-parody (see: Morrissey) and finding a way to be playful without becoming too precious (see: Lawrence in his post-Felt years). In combination, it's a perfect way into the world of Belle and Sebastian, even if the band spends the second half of the disc trying to redecorate that space."[7]

Track listing

Disc one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dog on Wheels"	3:11
2.	"The State I Am In"	4:59
3.	"String Bean Jean"	4:43
4.	"Belle and Sebastian"	4:36
5.	"Lazy Line Painter Jane"	5:49
6.	"You Made Me Forget My Dreams"	3:50
7.	"A Century of Elvis"	4:29
8.	"Photo Jenny"	3:14
9.	"A Century of Fakers"	4:29
10.	"Le Pastie de la Bourgeoisie"	3:10
11.	"Beautiful"	5:13
12.	"Put the Book Back on the Shelf/Songs for Children" (Hidden track)	6:24
Total length:		54:07

Disc two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"This Is Just a Modern Rock Song"	7:12
2.	"I Know Where the Summer Goes"	4:37
3.	"The Gate"	4:27
4.	"Slow Graffiti"	3:25
5.	"Legal Man"	2:42
6.	"Judy Is a Dick Slap"	4:05
7.	"Winter Wooskie"	2:41
8.	"Jonathan David"	2:59
9.	"Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It"	3:35
10.	"The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner"	4:34
11.	"I'm Waking Up to Us" (Produced by Mike Hurst and Belle and Sebastian)	3:49
12.	"I Love My Car"	5:12
13.	"Marx and Engels"	3:45
Total length:		53:03

References

1. "Reviews for Push Barman To Open Old Wounds by Belle and Sebastian". Metacritic. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
2. Sendra, Tim. "Push Barman to Open Old Wounds – Belle and Sebastian". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
3. Gunatilaka, Timothy (30 May 2005). "Push Barman to Open Old Wounds". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
4. Clayton-Lea, Tony (20 May 2005). "Belle & Sebastian: Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (Jeepster)". The Irish Times. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
5. Sharp, Johnny (July 2005). "Belle and Sebastian: Push Barman to Open Old Wounds". Mojo (140): 120. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
6. Needham, Alex (21 May 2005). "Time Gentlemen Please". NME: 66. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
7. Plagenhoef, Scott (25 May 2005). "Belle and Sebastian: Push Barman to Open Old Wounds". Pitchfork. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
8. Scott, Danny (July 2005). "Belle and Sebastian: Push Barman to Open Old Wounds". Q (228). Retrieved 26 June 2019.
9. Sheffield, Rob (30 June 2005). "Push Barman to Open Old Wounds". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
10. Mackay, Emily (1 June 2005). "Belle and Sebastian: Push Barman to Open Old Wounds". The Times. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
11. Troussé, Stephen (July 2005). "Family twee". Uncut (98): 130. Retrieved 26 June 2019.