Ten years ago, Belle & Sebastian released their sophomore effort, If You're Feeling Sinister, the album that cemented their cult status. Between then and now were some serious disappointments but for each letdown there was always enough catchy, bubblegum goodness to keep listeners hoping for a satisfying follow-up.
With The Life Pursuit, Stuart Murdoch and his band finally make good on the promise of their groundbreaking second release. Shot through with single-worthy tracks, this is the kind of album that should be required listening for any Spring Break road trip. The taunting call-and-response of "White Collar Boy" early on is matched by the unabashed, old-fashioned good times of the second-to-last track, "For the Price of a Cup of Tea." Murdoch also mines standard rock `n' roll on "The Blues are Still Blue," which dresses up a conventional guitar riff with goofy vocal synths and snarky, macho lyrics. "Sukie in the Graveyard" is quintessential Belle & Sebastian: a quirky protagonist and an irresistible hook.
As always, Belle & Sebastian have some new tricks, too. In the indie search for all things knowingly peppy and kitsch, "Song for Sunshine" digs up some seriously cheesy funk and turns it into a slow jam. The melancholy of "Dress Up in You" recalls much of If You're Feeling Sinister, but, unlike earlier, similar works, it is also a perfect pop gem.
Even cynics and skeptics will have a hard time disliking The Life Pursuit. It's easy to dismiss sincerity and preciousness, and there are plenty of people who associate `pop' with everything wrong with music. These sorts of people would do well to follow the example of the heroine in "Act of the Apostles" -- done right, as it is here, pop can be a religious experience.
