Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like A Peasant
by Belle and Sebastian
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26

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  1. Hedless
    Dec 6, 2010
    10
    Barman is more varied. But for B&S at their most soothing, Fold your Hands is the best. Skip Beyond the Sunrise and enjoy. The last three tracks are wonderful.
  2. Gianni
    Apr 24, 2008
    10
    I really love this album, it is my favourite by B&S. For some reason I never liked The Boy With The Arab Strap, whilst I like Tigermilk and love If You're Feeling Sinister (and I hate the last two albums they put out). This one simply has fantastic songs, such as I fought in a war, The model, Waiting for the moon to rise. The only bad one on here is The wrong girl, whose chorus I I really love this album, it is my favourite by B&S. For some reason I never liked The Boy With The Arab Strap, whilst I like Tigermilk and love If You're Feeling Sinister (and I hate the last two albums they put out). This one simply has fantastic songs, such as I fought in a war, The model, Waiting for the moon to rise. The only bad one on here is The wrong girl, whose chorus I can't stand. Really underrated album IMO.… Expand
  3. GilbertMulroneycakesAndTheNews
    Dec 10, 2003
    8
    I LIKE Fold Your Hands Child. The title could have been better by just leaving out "You Walk Like A Peasant", but other than that...okay, it's not B&S' best work in the whole wide world of sport - partly because it's so very subtle. Q Magazine have a point, it's got no gigantic, attention grabbing show tunes of the "Wandering Days Are Over" (or even the titular I LIKE Fold Your Hands Child. The title could have been better by just leaving out "You Walk Like A Peasant", but other than that...okay, it's not B&S' best work in the whole wide world of sport - partly because it's so very subtle. Q Magazine have a point, it's got no gigantic, attention grabbing show tunes of the "Wandering Days Are Over" (or even the titular "Storytelling") kind. It prefers to come at the audience sideways, take them by surprise, and that's just terrific if they're already there, but it won't win them friends. What you get out of this album is equal to what you put in. I can only imagine this is deliberate - a little tweaking and Women's Realm or The Model could have done the job. Or they could have put in Legal Man as insurance. But evidently they didn't care about that, and fair play: some of their best work is on this record, from the haunting I Fought In A War to the exquisitely moving and disturbing "The Chalet Lines" - which happens to be one of my favourite songs, by the way, and I wish more people would talk about it, because it is to my ears so very great-yet-horrible that it really ought to live in history, or something - and the faux-cheery pop of Women's Realm. Though let's not forget the actually-cheery pop of Too Much Love or the startling recapitulation of seventies funk in Don't Leave The Light On Baby. Even if Stevie and Isobel's contributions aren't as good - not that that's something you can qualify in such a fashion - and The Wrong Girl and Nice Day For A Sulk come dangerously close to something B&S usually shy away from - filler material - it still works like gangbusters as a collection of songs, if not as a single work in its own right. B&S fans ought to start with Tigermilk though. Cos it's everything you want it to be?.… Collapse
  4. BenjaminBunny
    Aug 12, 2003
    8
    Yes it does lack the freshness and naivete of their earlier records, but even if B&S seem to be stretching a touch to come up with interesting lyrics they outdo themselves musically with their most intricate, varied and elegant set.
  5. TelmoC.
    Mar 30, 2002
    10
    Just Perfect! The best by B&S
  6. JacobH.
    Oct 3, 2001
    10
    This is without a glance back Belle and Sebastien's mightiest work to date. The vivid imagery of "I Fought in a War," the richly textured and equally melodic "The Model," the intricate harmonies and bouncing beat of "Woman's Realm" and the chillingly real "Chalet Lines" all contribute to this record's thoroughly satiating and at the same time fascinating aural experience. This is without a glance back Belle and Sebastien's mightiest work to date. The vivid imagery of "I Fought in a War," the richly textured and equally melodic "The Model," the intricate harmonies and bouncing beat of "Woman's Realm" and the chillingly real "Chalet Lines" all contribute to this record's thoroughly satiating and at the same time fascinating aural experience. It rates righ up there with "If You're Feeling Sinister" and the "Lazy Line Painter Jane" EP boxed set. I offer the group a well-deserved Bravo!… Expand
  7. HaydnG.
    Sep 17, 2001
    9
    I learned of Belle and Sebastian about a year ago and this was the first album I got. Belle and Sebastian are addicting. They are nothing I have ever heard before, you can tell they are not the typical pop band. Fold your hands Child.. is a perfect example of their unique music. The Chalet lines represents one of there amazing slow songs, and Theres too much love is an upbeat, incredible I learned of Belle and Sebastian about a year ago and this was the first album I got. Belle and Sebastian are addicting. They are nothing I have ever heard before, you can tell they are not the typical pop band. Fold your hands Child.. is a perfect example of their unique music. The Chalet lines represents one of there amazing slow songs, and Theres too much love is an upbeat, incredible song too. While every Belle and Sebastian cd is a work of genius, this one is by no means a flaw in their work as a whole, it is a beautiful addition. … Expand
  8. DaelynS.
    Aug 4, 2001
    8
    I got this CD without having heard of the band or their music, all based on the description in my music club catalog. When I first played it, I thought it was too weird even for me--and I like some pretty weird stuff. However, after a few repeat plays it grew on me. It is now one of my "end to end" CDs on which I like every single song to some extent. I've tried some of their other I got this CD without having heard of the band or their music, all based on the description in my music club catalog. When I first played it, I thought it was too weird even for me--and I like some pretty weird stuff. However, after a few repeat plays it grew on me. It is now one of my "end to end" CDs on which I like every single song to some extent. I've tried some of their other CDs, each having some tunes I like, but none have had the effect this one had.… Expand
  9. MikeT.
    Jul 11, 2001
    6
    Disappointing. Despite a couple of brilliant songs ("I Fought in a War", "The Model"), this is easily the band's weakest work to date.

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Most Discussed Album of 2000
63
#63 Most Shared Album of 2000

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Village Voice
    60
    Hand-clappable tunes and delicious cover design aside, sharp narrative-driven writing has been what saves the band from being merely annoying or silly or cute; too bad Fold Your Hands Child entirely abandons the vivid narrative vignette model.
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  2. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    80
    In a larger sense, the shock is that Belle and Sebastian have grown out of their awkward adolescence. And they sound all the more interesting for having done so in full view of their fans.
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  3. Nude As The News
    45
    Belle & Sebastian's formula is beginning to see some wear.
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