Since they started making music together 11 years ago, Belle and Sebastian has relied on an unparalleled ear for musical genre that has resulted in a remarkable mash-up of musical styles. They\'ve pillaged the vaults of everything from Motown and soul to French pop to create music that sounds revolutionary, yet happily familiar at the same time. Their most recent release, The Life Pursuit, demonstrates all of this to excellent effect. It is by far their catchiest, most radio-friendly release to date. But at its heart, it is also the best demonstration of Belle and Sebastian\'s unique pastiche of musical genres. It is a paramount album in an already impressive discography.
The album opens with "Act of the Apostles," a song that combines the ethereal emo and chamber pop elements that have typified previous Belle and Sebastian albums, but layers the usual dreamy vocals over a solid base of rhythm and melody that conjures up sounds of 1960s garage rock with its slightly imprecise timing and organic instrumentation. "Another Sunny Day" takes it one step further with a peppier tempo and a more confident, 1970s Southern rock electric guitar riff running throughout. The basic elements of rock and roll vocal harmony are here, primarily on the choruses; but interpreted through their signature dreamy sound, it sounds startlingly fresh.
"White Collar Boy" stands out among the tracks, opening with a rocking rhythm and electronic bass line that announces from the opening bars that this is a song to be reckoned with. Even the vocals are strong here, as band leader Stuart Murdoch abandons the emo sound for a vocal delivery noticeably stronger and more powerful instead. Channeling the vocally powerful Freddie Mercury when he sings - Get on your bike/ Get on your horse - at the end of the song, the Queen reference is unmistakable.
"Blues are Still Blue" is an inspired neo-blues-rock gem that gained moderately successful airplay on commercial radio after the album\'s release. The consistently even rhythm of the vocal melody interplays smartly with the syncopated bass/rhythm line. The complex vocal harmonies serve to augment the true star of this song, which is the rocking bass line and infectious guitars as they interplay with the synthesized organ - strip away the vocals here and at its fundamental basis, this song could be a lost Animals single.
"Dress Up In You" slows the mood down and finds the sound returning to more familiar Belle and Sebastian territory - wry lyrics ("If I could have a second skin, I\'d probably dress up in you"), brass quartet accompaniment, and floaty-yet-complex vocal harmonies. The mood doesn\'t stay down for long though, before "Sukie at the Graveyard" picks the pace up again. And again, there is an inspired melange of the familiar (a true rock \'n roll bass line, dueling guitar solo bridge) and the emergent (shared octave melodies on the vocals) - the result is irresistibly toe-tapping and cutting-edge at the same time.
"We Are the Sleepyheads" manages to incorporate a unique 1960s French pop element in the infectious vocal accompaniment. The guitar solo is straight out of Steely Dan through the distortion of some healthy fuzz and the effect is charming and rocking at the same time. "Song for Sunshine" opens with a dirty funk bass line - straight out of early-80s Earth, Wind, & Fire - before the chorus opens up into airy four-part vocal harmony.
"Funny Little Frog" is another standout track that, like "Blues are Still Blue," combines classic blues-rock with the Belle and Sebastian formula to excellent effect. This time the classic rock references slightly sunnier bygone acts, the Turtles maybe, as evidenced by the impossibly happy hand-claps that come in on the second verse. A subtle background chorus of "ah"\'s and a hint of vibraphone balance the bubble-gummy foundation with auditory interest.
"To Be Myself Completely" follows "Funny Little Frog" perfectly, another nod to the bubble-gum-meets-garage-rock of the 1960s with an inspired mix of modern, synthesized elements and symphonic touches layered over it. (Throughout, producer/mixer Tony Hoffer exercises a brilliant touch of modern without ever overpowering the organic quality of the songwriting.)
"Act of the Apostle II" is a reprise of sorts, a novelty song combining a loping pace with old-fashioned sonic flourishes not unlike those employed by Aimee Mann or the Beatles on the White Album. It creates an auditory resting place on an album full of rocking songs. But Belle and Sebastian aren\'t finished rocking yet - "For the Price of a Cup of Tea" is a bopping, infectious song that almost echoes the era of disco, albeit filtered through extremely stripped-down, organic production. A flute accent throughout the song strengthens the disco comparison, though it\'s more like disco on tranquilizers - no canned drum machine here.
The album ends on a very calming note, with "Morningtown Crescent" drawing heavy influence from alt-Americana - strummed acoustic guitar, wandering piano part, confident yet bittersweet electric guitar solo.
By combining elements of classic 1960s garage rock and the shimmery mentality of chamber pop, Belle and Sebastian have made an album that is extremely engaging, both charmingly familiar and forward-reaching at the same time, and it showcases the band at the height of their talents. But most importantly, this is an album that grooves - and, (seeming to startle even the band itself at times,) in this rhythm, Belle and Sebastian has found its heartbeat.
"The Life Pursuit" is on sale February 7, 2006 from Rough Trade.
