BELLE AND SEBASTIAN
A Bit Of Previous (Matador)
One of Scotland’s finest are nearly into double figures, album-wise, with their first proper one in seven years: A Bit of Previous. Belle And Sebastian had more recently delved into their past with a live LP and looked to the future with various collaborative projects. This is Belle and Sebastian’s’ first album to be recorded in Glasgow in more than two decades, and they’ve evolved into a slicker outfit over time, moving away from campfire songs and heading into sequin camp.
A Bit Of Previous has polished pop at its core, Reclaim The Night a prime example. Disco is again explored with the Abba-meets-Rock Your Baby rhumba Prophets On Hold, and howling harmonica blazes away atop a powerpop tune during Unnecessary Drama. Belle and Sebastian are most winsome on the acoustic Do It For Your Country and the toe-tapping soul of Come On Home, where Stuart Murdoch sings, “Give a chance to the old / Set the record straight for the welfare state” – although this LP may not earn them quite enough universal credit.
words CHRIS SEAL
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