Belle and Sebastian, ‘The Life Pursuit’
By user • Feb 17th, 2006 • Category: Album Reviews
In one of the few unfortunate adaptations in the film version of Nick Hornby’s “High Fidelity,” a character chastises Belle and Sebastian for being too maudlin, too morose.
Though the Scottish twee outfit delves into mild tempos and murky arrangements at times, the ensemble always is one short kilt string away from irresistible pop.
Which is why vocalist Stuart Murdoch and his supporting cast have remained seminal for more than a decade. By never deviating too much from the wistfully gentle pop, Belle and Sebastian’s seven records are beacons of consistency – intelligently fun and atmospherically near-perfect re-creations of the great chamber sounds from the 1960s.
So it’s no surprise “The Life Pursuit” travels that same soundway. But what this record does better than other B&S outputs is steal sounds from other eras.
Included in those lo-fi, jumpy pop tunes is beatnick lounge (“Act of the Apostle”), 70s glam (“White Collar Boy” and “The Blues are Still Blue”), alt-country (“Another Sunny Day”) a waltz (“Dress Up In You”), funk organ (“Song for Sunshine”) and a track in the lyrical spirit of all those charity tunes from the 80s (“For the Price of a Cup of Tea”).
All the while filling the gaps with authentic and familiarly catch ditties.
Murdoch and his comrades in plaid rely less heavily on vocal melody and focus the record?s weight on their musical shoulders.
But the slight shift in method isn’t enough to deter the release’s momentum – or break any new ground.
Northern Star, Feb. 17, 2006
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