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CRITIC REVIEWS
85
Belle and Sebastian have been a staple in indie rock for more than a few decades, but they’re still going at it strong, convinced, it seems, that the best way to serve is to save the best for last. If there is one criticism, it is that the songs tend a bit more to platitudes than their previous offerings.
82
Continuing to make their return sound new and worthwhile, the Scottish indie pop stars mine relationships for all their knotty problems.
82
The band are at their best in short, sharp, concentrated bursts of euphoria, which Late Developers delivers in spades.
80
Rather than resembling the offcuts typical of many albums arriving soon after their parent, these 11 songs from the same sessions are its equal.
80
Even the inclusion of an older tune somehow doesn't feel like they're content to stay cycling through past ideas. If anything it serves as a stark example of just how far they've come since those timid, mawkish early days, and the rest of the songs give a glimpse of how far they might yet go.
80
As a surprise shot in the arm to get the year off to a good start, Stuart Murdoch and co’s second album in 12 months is a very welcome New Year present.
80
The Scottish indie veterans’ second album in 12 months combines a pleasing lightness of touch and genuine pop nous.
80
Late Developers proves that the Glasgow outfit still have plenty in the tank.
80
Sure it’s winter here in the northern hemisphere and God knows we all need cheering up. But wherever you are, this is an excellent Belle and Sebastian album.
80
Late Developers is a gem. Belle and Sebastian have been doing this for quite some time and it appears that they’re still enthusiastic about popular music in almost all of its myriad forms.
76
On the quick follow-up to last year’s A Bit of Previous, the Glasgow indie-pop band’s on-the-fly energy and head-in-the-clouds musings collide in memorable and surprising ways.
70
Late Developers is self-indulgent, majestic at times, and just another chapter in the storied history of a Scottish group that deserves mention at the table.
70
The result is the usual magic, which sometimes blurs less memorably than this critic had hoped, and several gems that are no doubt here to stay.
70
In some ways, Belle and Sebastian have come to be under-rated, purely due to their relentless consistency. ‘Late Developers’ should be applauded on its own merits, the work of a group whose continued evolution is tied to an astute awareness of where their talents lie.
70
It's a sadly predictable complaint coming from a longtime B&S fan: they're at their best when they sound the most like themselves. Thankfully, there's plenty of that to be found on Late Developers — something that makes this album worthy of a few enjoyable listens before I inevitably return to If You're Feeling Sinister.
70
Late Developers is catchy, melodic, and varied; revolutionary it is not.
60
It’s a confusing album: there’s plenty of their usual sing-song melodies and musings on modern dissatisfaction ... But it’s the synth-laden, poptastic I Don’t Know What You See In Me that seems glaringly out of place.
60
The surprise new album has a few oddities that grab the attention.
50
On Late Developers, bandleader Stuart Murdoch’s engaging storytelling and familiar voice gives a needed sense of steadiness to the band’s poppiest, weakest album in years.
A pleasant surprise from an indie classic from Glasgow, it's probably time to finish this with a trilogy, so we'll wait for next year with hope, but for now everything is delicious and beautiful.
© 2023
Well, this album is pretty unremarkable. It's super repetitive with a few decent tracks sprinkled in. The sound reminds of the generic indie bands that we have here in Hungary and that's definitely not a good thing. The lyrics are adorable, I have to give them that. I also have to mention that I've never heard about this band, but they are apparently critically acclaimed with multiple great albums? Well, they either fell off really hard or their sound is just not for me.
Juliet Naked 7/10
Give ... read more
Late Developers is some times very cute album, but also is boring, repetitive, and uninspiring
Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers [2023]
indie pop
tracklist:
Juliet Naked // 75
Give a Little Time // 70
When We Were Very Young // 65
Will I Tell You a Secret // 50
So in the Moment // 70
The Evening Star // 60
When You're Not With Me // 65
I Don't Know What You See in Me // 80
Do You Follow // 80
When the Cynics Stare Back From the Wall // 55
Late Developers // 60
--------------------------------
tracklist points: 67
vocals points: 0
lyrics points: 0
production & mix points: ... read more
The sound is saturated from all sides. Sometimes synth beats, sometimes voices on top of each other. All this creates such vivid images of this album. It makes you want to cry or dance until you drop. But more of the latter. As I found out, it includes songs left over from the last album, but it doesn't feel like it at all.
Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers
Genre: Indie Pop
Country: UK
Final Verdict: 63% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 27th / 70
Highlight: When We Were Very Young
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thV-lSwQJS8
Made me think of:
The Divine Comedy
Camera Obscura
Yo La Tengo
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Track List
| 1 | Juliet Naked 3:22 | 62 |
| 2 | Give a Little Time 3:23 | 62 |
| 3 | When We Were Very Young 3:52 | 66 |
| 4 | Will I Tell You a Secret 2:15 | 60 |
| 5 | So In the Moment 3:23 | 66 |
| 6 | The Evening Star 4:25 | 62 |
| 7 | When You're Not With Me 4:42 | 69 |
| 8 | I Don't Know What You See In Me 3:39 | 45 |
| 9 | Do You Follow 4:19 | 64 |
| 10 | When the Cynics Stare Back From the Wall 4:21 | 66 |
| 11 | Late Developers 4:20 | 63 |
Total Length: 42 minutes
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2w
Just listened "i don't know what you see in me"....
Oh. my. gosh! that was awfully Lame
Literally a generic uninspired supermarket song that annoys you while you keep working at a wagie bs job.
Sadly this album won't gonna look like the old Belle and Sebastian who made gems like Tigermilk, Arab Strap and If You Feeling Sinister.
Oh. my. gosh! that was awfully Lame
Literally a generic uninspired supermarket song that annoys you while you keep working at a wagie bs job.
Sadly this album won't gonna look like the old Belle and Sebastian who made gems like Tigermilk, Arab Strap and If You Feeling Sinister.
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Added on: January 9, 2023