"Beauty has laid siege to the city" Incredible B-side

[psbfannyc]

Wow! We sure have been lucky to get such wonderful b-sides during the "Nonetheless" era. And now on the final "Nonetheless" double-A side single "New London boy / All the young dudes" we get this incredible "Beauty has laid siege to the city" song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_mHY2E6G_k

No artist today does better synth pads than our PSB and "Beauty has laid siege to the city" is no exception. I'm looking forward to the 2025 Annually where they will most likely discuss this genius composition. Very curious about it's birth.

And these lyrics----what a poem!
________________________________________

The beautiful are laughing
One finds them in the park
wandering by the roses
often after dark

Beauty has laid siege to the city
one sees it everywhere
in the stubbornness of spinsters
or a toss of flaming hair

The senses are often overwhelmed
by the scent of love in the air
and the moment
when beauty
does its duty
and deigns to catch your stare

The beautiful are fearless
One finds them late at night
Wandering way past their bedtimes
with wide eyes strangely bright

Beauty has laid siege to the city
In Knightsbridge they’re all of a flutter
Hearts are beating a little too fast
With nostalgia for the gutter

Innocence and beauty are friends
walking hand in hand
The boys that dive from Chelsea Pier
live in a promised land

The beautiful are happy
One sees them everywhere
Floating down Piccadilly
Their scent is in the air

Beauty has laid siege to the city
The ugly are fighting back
passing laws
enforced by bores
Beauty is under attack

The beautiful are dancing
In dark rooms to the east
Emerging from the ruins
Their numbers have increased

Beauty has laid siege to the city
An army of lovers invades
The young and pretty
are showing no pity
in gorgeous escapades

Beauty has laid siege to the city
Some say it isn’t worth tuppence
It may
be supposed
that those who oppose it
will one day get their comeuppance

The beautiful are laughing
One finds them in the park
Wandering by the roses
Often after dark

[Drico One]

Yes, the flaneur has gone looking for a gadabout and takes us on a dreamlike stroll through nocturnal urbanity.

It's the classic PSB trope of Chris inventing an evocative, thrilling soundscape populated by intrigue, temptation, opportunity, and danger in which Neil explores, wanders through, and recounts his pithy observations.

This is what I'm here for.

Drico.

[Silver Age]

Sounds more like an album track.

[daveid]

It's surely the best b-side of the campaign, although Jesus isn't far behind, nor Blitz. Actually it's one of their finest b-sides period.

[leesmapman]

Agreed with this being the best b-side era in a while. I'm more of a It's not a crime and I've got plans... guy by the way.

[jules]

"Beauty..." could be on lost. At first i thought a huge beat would kicks after the intro, but it's a rather haunting ballad indeed.

[BugBoy]

Actually regardless of how we love or hate ...Dudes (it's growing on me but mostly due to the mixes), this release works well as a triple A side, thematically the songs really do fit like a well crafted EP, the kind of release that only PSB can do with such finesse!

[Sandy Shaw]

I adore this track.

Neil or his narrative persona removes himself even further from any action with lines like ''One finds them in the park'' it reminds me of Christopher Isherwood ''I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking''...

[daveid]

According to Clash, this song was written/recorded in 2020

[glennjridge]

And.... lately they have been doing some nice fan service of late sonically with some of the B-sides. this one is another one where it sounds like the arrangement came from the classic early album days in a very good way.

Neil always has such inventive vocal melodies....the track starts off and its always nice to hear where neil is going to take the vocal line. he weaves it all over the place, its a very wordy song, but neil slows it down somehow by drawing out the melody with some long notes. another fantastic B-side in an era of great B-sides

[g_m]

According to Clash, this song was written/recorded in 2020

Ah another lockdown song. You can tell.

[vincenzosz]

I absolutely love this song.
It’s one of their best b sides period. Love this more atmospheric soundscape. Fresh but with that retro PSB sound. It’s optimistic but melancholic in just the right way. Lovely lovely stuff.

[tottenhammattspurs]

The third b-sides collection is going to slap hard near the end of cd2.

[negative_0ne]

to me, this is the only good song, from the double cd single release.

it's got a classic sound to it.

later
|| | || |
ne gative 1

[Gabby]

Sorry not for me. It's too long and rambling. After about 4 minutes I wish it would end, and find there's still a good 2 minutes to go.

Someone compared this to King of Rome and tbh they're bang on for the exact same reason.