It is not an easy question that Belle & Sebastian decided to tackle with their new album, but hopefully, at least some of our human problems can be solved with William Hill Promotions, offering amazing bonuses for new users. For the solution to deeper and more existential human problems tune in on the second in the trio of Belle & Sebastian’s How to Solve Our Human Problems EPs that was released today by Matador Records. We bring you one of the earliest reviews of the new mini-album!
Although individual songs of the second volume differ greatly in style and tempo, Belle and Sebastian successfully weaved the divergent elements into one another to achieve a brilliant mix between a rereading of the irresistible Motown sound and the Scottish-style delicate pop writing.
The new EP opens with the refreshingly trilling ‘Show Me the Sun’ whose bouncy, rousing vibe makes it perfect for the dancefloor. Thus, the opener is clear evidence of the group’s continuing ambition to invest dancefloors with cheerful, bubbly, forever-young, festive songs.
The second track is ‘Same Star’, featuring the sublime vocals of violinist Sarah Martin, who also wrote the lyrics for this charming, bittersweet, surprisingly upbeat song about the end of love.
The pivot of the album is ‘I’ll Be Your Pilot’: sweet and tender, melodic song layered with dreamy oboe notes. Song’s heartfelt lyrics, spoken by a father to his son, evoke nostalgia and remind us to savour the beauty of childhood: “It’s tough to become a grown-up / Put it off while you can / I tell you that when /you land in the real world /It’s like quick sand.”
Perhaps the weakest spot of the album is Stevie Jackson’s “Cornflakes” simply because it sounds too much like an extended remix version of “Sweet Dew Lee,” a ’70s-styled disco standout from the previous EP. Nevertheless, its light-hearted tone makes it a great follow-up to the emotional and moving “I’ll Be Your Pilot,” giving us a break before the curtain-closing “A Plague on All Other Boys,” simply blows our minds away. In this ironic take on school life, Murdoch is lending his syrupy voice to a problematic Nebraska student: “I’m a mess/I’m defeated/My grade-point average went to hell.” It is a great ending song, bearing all the typical characteristic of a classic 1990s Belle and Sebastian satirical portrayals that will be particularly pleasing to the old-time fans.
Matador have announced that the 3-piece set will be available as a single vinyl box set on 17 February, immediately following the release of the third EP in the How to Solve Our Human Problems series on 16 February. We can only hope that the third and last EP of the series will bring the album to its logical conclusion with as much admirable excellence.
Track listing:
- Show Me the Sun
- The Same Star
- I’ll Be Your Pilot
- Cornflakes
- A Plague on Other Boys
