“The frisky bassline and chunky horn blasts are rewarding enough, but it all sounds too easy, too patronizing for a band in the adulthood of their career.” – Pitchfork
Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. 
Belle and Sebastian’s new album, The Life Pursuit, isn’t released for over 2 months yet, but I accidentally found it online. Funny Little Frog has been available from their Peel session for almost a year now, but this is the full studio version and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I’ll surely enjoy being buggered in the shower at MCI Concord during my 18 months for piracy.
This is your archetypical ‘new’ B&S song – piano, horns and mindless optimism. I especially love the sound of the snare drum, and the way Stuart Murdoch pronnounces thro-at so that it rhymes with poet. Cute, Stu. I think Pitchfork was a little hard on this single, and the album in general. I don’t honestly think the new album is on par with their best work, but I can’t fault them for evolving and changing – “…at least they aren’t pulling a Robert Smith and staying “miserable†ad infinitum“. I’m always glad to see them, and we’ll always have If You’re Feeling Sinister.
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This is the first time I have heard a Belle and Sebastian song (although I have heard of them). I have to say, the sound reminds me of some Sloan songs in a jingly-jangly way.
Graeme – get thee to a record store immediately and pick up ‘The Boy With The Arab Strap’ and ‘TigerMilk’ by B&S.
So, I went on to Amazon and listened to some sound clips from “Boy with the Arab Strap” and “Tigermilk” (I always do this before I buy an album). Well, I have to tell you, Dave, this music really reminds me of the kind of music you might hear as the soundtrack to an early 70s movie staring Peter Fonda – you know, those languid flowing plots where people walk through fields then swim in lakes and never really say much to each other, but always in the background music much like Belle and Sebastian’s is playing. Do you know what I’m talking about?
Stop being a frigtard and buy the album.
Jesus, stereo Pye.