Late Developers

“Late Developers” Belle and Sebastian
New indie pop, power pop and folk rock from the acclaimed Glasgow, Scotland-based band. 11th studio album. Comes only eight months after the now aptly named “A Bit Of Previous.” These tracks were recorded at the same time, but they’re not at all B-sides. Rather, Belle and Sebastian realized it had enough great music to fill two separate, cohesive albums. Like “Previous,” these songs focus on similar themes of “spirituality, love and the growing dread…of aging.” But they tend to be more upbeat, quite catchy and more memorable than the 2022 collection — capturing 80s, 90s and even 60s nostalgia, updated for today. A fantastic album so early in 2023!
— Francis

Highly recommended: 8, 10, 5, 4, 1, 2, 3, 11. No FCCs detected.

1. (3:22) Juliet Naked — Strummy, power pop anthem. Very cinematic, with doubled vocals, electric guitar and no drums. ***
2. (3:23) Give A Little Time — Lilting, mid-tempo pop with handclaps. The first tune on the album to showcase Sarah Martin’s accomplished vocals and violin. ***
3. (3:53) When We Were Very Young — Wistful, piano-backed jangle pop reminiscing about looking back on the “selfish” time of youth from the perspective of “a commuter with no place to run.” ***
4. (2:16) Will I Tell You A Secret — Simple, fun baroque pop ballad with acoustic guitar, lead vocals by Stuart Murdoch and lovely harmonies. ***
5. (3:23) So In The Moment — Driving pop rock that has a 60s throwback Brit pop sound. Intriguing melody. Reference to Paul McCartney and Wings. ***
6. (4:25) The Evening Star — Slow burner with rich backing vocals. Orchestra and horns add a nice counterpoint to the swaying tune.
7. (4:43) When You’re Not With Me — Strutting groove with cool bass line, brass and a danceable rhythm track. Martin on the lead vocals.
8. (3:39) I Don’t Know What You See In Me — First single. Different sound for the band. A soaring, swelling synth pop anthem. Very radio-friendly. First time the band has worked with an outside co-writer (Peter Ferguson). ****
9. (4:19) Do You Follow — Mid-tempo, disco-flavored vamp with give-and-take between Murdoch and Martin. Wry lyrics delving into the complexities of a relationship.
10. (4:21) When The Cynics Stare Back From The Wall — Folk-rock with strummed guitar, keys and flute. Previously unreleased song written in 1994. Features Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura in a duet with Murdoch. ****
11. (4:21) Late Developers — Bright, horn-driven closer with a stop-and-go island rhythm. Almost a gospel feeling at times. **