It was 29 months ago when I put my CDs into boxes. I didn’t really know when I would take them out again —I didn’t really know much at that time— but I didn’t think it would take 29 months. I can’t say I missed them very much though. After all, it is very easy to find the actual music online and those aluminium discs, well, weren’t they mostly relics of a sad life once led, when I didn’t do much but buying records?

The boxes with CDs, those that I had decided to keep, finally arrived this week. It meant more to me than I would have thought. Much as they are just aluminium discs, some of these discs actually contain really good music. And more importantly, they contain quite a few memories too.

So I rediscovered B’ehl. They were from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and released two records in 1997 and 2001, the first of which (Only a Paper Moon) was among the first things I ever ordered from the US. It was before my record buying got really out of hand so I did have the time to listen to it. Memories of feeling that I was the only one on earth who liked this kind of thing come back; of spending long Sundays on my own and putting bands like B’ehl on mixtapes that I then only listened to myself. It didn’t seem to matter very much back then: the realisation of my sadness did not come until much later. I was happy that bands like B’ehl were there to brighten up my days and make me feel different than anyone else. And if it wasn’t for their music, I’d have loved them for their cute little name.

B’ehl went on to release a second album, the almost equally good Bright Eyes, after which they split up and some members went on in the band Paper Moon, but I never really got into them. It doesn’t really matter; it is good to think of B’ehl again, to listen to their albums again, and to be happy for the mere fact bands like B’ehl existed.

B’ehl have put all their songs on last.fm to listen to in their entirity. Like all bands should do, really. If you’re into the softer side of indiepop and the likes of Heavenly, Gaze and Glo-Worm I’m sure you’ll enjoy them too. Start with Tag, for that has always been my favourite song.