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31Knots Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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The Life Pursuit
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Tony Hoffer produced this seventh studio LP for the veteran Scottish indie-pop band.
| LABEL: | Matador / Rough Trade |
| RELEASE DATE: | 07 February 2006 |
| DISCS: | 1 disc |
| GENRE(S): | Indie, Rock |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this album is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 101 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
J TR gave it a9:
It's always nice to be reminded why you love a band. This is such a solid album, so full of joy, wit, and inspiration.
R G gave it an8:
great b & s album, they have been on a downhill slump, dear catastrophee was ok ( loved i m a cuckoo) but this is looking back at a great age of pop and making great pop for today. they are very comfortable with themselves, and i think dear castrophee helped with that. def their best album since if you are feeling sinister
Guy gave it a10:
Best album of the year hands down.
Brendan D gave it a10:
Simply put, this is the best record of the year, and quite possibly it's the best pop record of the decade. Honestly, I know there are a lot of B&S fans out there, but I've never, ever been one of them. They were always to cute, to precious, too twee for me, which is kind of funny, considering I absolutely adore the Sea and Cake. So I turn on "The Life Pursuit," and I'm listening to the first track. Ho-hum. La-de-da. Then the chorus of "Act of the Apostle" comes in, replete with its ringing organ and Carol Kaye-esque bass line, and I get kind of happy. 'Okay,' I think, 'This might not be too bad.' And then, "Another Sunny Day" comes on and absolutely blows my mind. I remember distinctly that it was springtime here in Chicago. I remember that because it was nearing the end of my last year in college, the trees were coming back, the weather was warming up, and I wasn't sober a day. And Belle & Sebastian made it all the better. I'd walk down the street listening to "The Life Pursuit" on my now dearly-departed iPod, smiling irrepressible smiles because the music made my so freakin' happy, like the Beach Boys' "Sunflower" or any number of Polyphonic Spree live shows I've got. Art Brut's got the chops, the Secret Machines have the emotion; Grandaddy's got the sentiment, and Jenny Lewis has the beauty. But Belle & Sebastian get my vote -- easily -- for album of the year.
D gave it a9:
They made it!
Reuben F gave it a6:
My first musical love was The Smiths, and so predictably enough, I kinda like Belle & Sebastian as well. I know they don't like being described as 'Twee Pop', and most likely their fans wouldn't like that description either, but it seems to me quite apt. The website World Wide Words gives the definition as follows: "It means excessively or affectedly quaint, sentimental or mawkish, sometimes coupled with words like nauseatingly. It’s a strongly negative word, and a very useful one, that is in common British use. It appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century to mean something dainty or sweet, a girly and gushing word." Despite the aptness of the word Twee for describing their music, they have a bookish charm which is ok in small doses.
Arik K gave it a9:
The pop melodies are well crafted and well produced. The lyrics are amazing and fit extremely well, and the album as a whole flows together incredibly. Probably one of my favorite albums this year.
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