Belle and Sebastian return to Matador Records for their seventh album The Life Pursuit. But don't think that they have returned to the lo-fi sound of their early career. The eclectic songwriting of their prior album, Dear Catastrophe Waitress, may become an anomaly in Belle and Sebastian's oeuvre, but not for its supposed over-production; it seems DCW gave the band confidence in experimentation and not just a little maturity. Although The Life Pursuit's production is even more prevalent than the pervious album, the Glasgow septet have regained the spirit of their first five albums, while creating intricately layered and well mixed tracks.

Earnest, intelligent lyrics about the loss of innocence and fleeting moments of wonder accompany bold, nearly orchestral scores. In "While Collar Boy," low distorted keyboards loom just behind the guitars and poppy drums. The snares are rendered so clearly they sound like they could have come from a drum machine. Producer Tony Hoffer, in conjunction with long-time B&S producer/mixer Tony Doogan, produced 13 crisp, clean tracks, devoid of any fluff or hum. The first single off the album, "The Blues Are Still Blue," may be the most rock-oriented track Belle and Sebastian have released to date -- relying heavily on classic blues riffs, the song still manages to feel energetic and, well, like a pop song.

Unfortunately, violinist and sometimes singer Sarah Martin doesn't appear as much vocally on The Life Pursuit as on the last few albums. Her wispy tintinnabulation can only be heard on a few tracks backing Murdoch. However, the band does seem to have pulled together tighter than ever. These new songs sound just as great live as they do on the record, and it is obvious that more than just one creative voice weighs in on the final product. The Life Pursuit signals a new level of maturity for Belle and Sebastian.