Belle And Sebastian…

Belle And Sebastian "The Life Pursuit" (Matador)

I have had The Life Pursuit, the latest Belle And Sebastian album, for a few months now. I guess I have just been waiting for any kind of inspiration to hit me to write about it. I find Belle And Sebastian to be a band that frustrates me to no end. They have a tendency to release some rather weak material. After the brilliant duo of If You're Feeling Sinister and The Boy With The Arab Strap the band followed that up with two lackluster efforts. Unlike many though, I found 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress to be an absolute pop gem and a wonderful return to form for the band. So, how does the The Life Pursuit measure up?

If you have never cared for Belle And Sebastian then The Life Pursuit surely will not change your opinion of the band. It's more of the same chamber/indie pop that the band is notorious for. However, The Life Pursuit is probably the band's most upbeat and instrumentally adventurous record. The results are a mixed bag though. It's not at all bad until a song like "Dress Up In You" comes along and reminds you what made Belle And Sebastian so special in the past. It was those sad, morose songs that got me into this band. Granted, I've grown with the band and still follow them but all this damn cheeriness is hard to swallow at times.

What's left to be said? Another Belle And Sebastian album is in the books. The Life Pursuit is a solid effort for the band. I would rank it right in the middle…firmly ahead of three albums and firmly behind three albums in the band's discography.

RIYL: The Smiths/Morrissey, Simon & Garfunkel, Nick Drake

Listen: Belle And Sebastian - Another Sunny Day (mp3)