Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

Being a devout Belle & Sebastian fan, I probably would have enjoyed this album regardless. But that is irrelevant, for this Glaswegian septet has produced yet another spectacular album to add to their already impressive repertoire. It completes the shift towards the more up-tempo style that their previous album hinted towards. While many fans may not like such a shift, I welcome it, as this is probably their most accessible album yet and will hopefully lead to the recognition this great band deserves.

Seeing this band live has made my respect for them skyrocket. Firstly it made me realise just how many awesome songs they have produced. They played no less than twenty songs, each of them going off, and yet I could still name about ten favourite songs they didn’t use. Normally missing such songs would result in disappointment but I had too much fun that night to let anything bring it down. The other thing I realised is just how incredibly skilled they are. In no way do they simply recreate their recorded music but rather it is a completely different experience, an extremely entertaining one.

Another Sunny Day – At the head of the band is Stuart who sings most of the songs, including this one. This guy is incredibly brave. So often he is the sole focus on stage, either while singing unaccompanied, interacting with the audience or dancing to a solo, all of which would be daunting to even the most experienced performer and yet he pulls them off with ease. Considering his song-writing and vocal abilities, he is one talented man. I chose this song not only cause its great, but also because of the relevance that certain lyrics have to today’s events.

To Be Myself Completely – While Stuart carries the band, Stevie provides the comic relief. He is just so cool. His combination of wide-rimmed glasses and a suit make him look so out of place on stage and yet it doesn’t worry him one bit. On top of this, he has his own little dancing style that’s a joy to watch. Despite his songs being few and far between, I always seem to love them. It was quite a shame that he only did a couple of songs on the night, this one not included.

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