Late Developers

2023 studio album by Belle and Sebastian

Late Developers

Studio album by

Belle and Sebastian

Released| 13 January 2023 (2023-01-13)
Studio|

* Banchory (Glasgow)
* Gorbals (Glasgow)
* Castle of Doom (Glasgow)

Genre|

* Pop[1][2]
* indie pop[2][3][4]

Length| 42:01
Label| Matador
Producer|

* Belle and Sebastian
* Brian McNeill
* Kevin Burleigh
* Matt Wiggins
* Pete Ferguson
* Shawn Everett
* Tony Doogan

Belle and Sebastian chronology
| A Bit of Previous
(2022)  | Late Developers
(2023)  |

|
|

Singles from  Late Developers

1. "I Don't Know What You See in Me"
Released: 9 January 2023[5]

Late Developers is the twelfth studio album by the Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian, released on 13 January 2023 by Matador Records.[6][7]

## Background

[edit]

On 5 January 2023, the Scottish group posted a 10-second clip on their official website and social accounts, as an announcement teaser.[8] A few days later, on 9 January 2023, Belle and Sebastian announced their new studio album Late Developers, along with the first single "I Don't Know What You See in Me".[5][9] The official music video for the single was released on 11 January 2023.[10]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsAggregate scores

Source| Rating
AnyDecentMusic?| 7.5/10[11]
Metacritic| 79/100[12]
Review scores
Source| Rating
AllMusic| [13]
Clash| 7/10[2]
Exclaim!| 7/10[14]
The Line of Best Fit| 7/10[15]
MusicOMH| [16]
The Observer| [17]
Pitchfork| 7.6/10[18]
The Skinny| [19]
The Telegraph| [20]

Late Developers was met with "generally favorable" reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 79, based on 15 reviews.[12]

At Clash, writer Robin Murray described the album as a "fine piece of pop whimsy, delivered with self-deprecating panache."[2]

## Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Stuart Murdoch, Stephen Jackson, Sarah Martin, Christopher Geddes, Richard Colburn, Robert Kildea, and David McGowan, except "I Don't Know What You See In Me" written by Pete Ferguson. All tracks are produced by Belle and Sebastian and Brian McNeill, except where noted

Late Developers track listingNo.| Title| Producer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Juliet Naked"|

* Belle and Sebastian
* Kevin Burleigh

| 3:22
2.| "Give a Little Time"|  | 3:32
3.| "When We Were Very Young"|  | 3:52
4.| "Will I Tell You a Secret"|  | 2:15
5.| "So in the Moment"|  | 3:23
6.| "The Evening Star"|  | 4:25
7.| "When You're Not with Me"| Matt Wiggins| 4:42
8.| "I Don't Know What You See in Me"| Pete Ferguson| 3:39
9.| "Do You Follow"|

* Belle and Sebastian
* Burleigh
* Shawn Everett
* Tony Doogan

| 4:19
10.| "When the Cynics Stare Back from the Wall"|  | 4:21
11.| "Late Developers"|  | 4:21
Total length:| 42:01

Japanese bonus track[21]No.| Title| Length

|
|

12.| "I Dumped You First"| 2:22

## Personnel

[edit]

Belle and Sebastian

* Stuart Murdoch – performance, costume design, photography
* Stevie Jackson – performance
* Sarah Martin – performance, props
* Chris Geddes – performance
* Richard Colburn – performance
* Bobby Kildea – performance
* David McGowan – performance (all tracks), brass arrangements (track 6)

Additional musicians

* Ryan Quigley – trumpet, flugelhorn (all tracks), brass arrangements (1–5, 7–11)
* Paul Towndrow – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
* Michael Owers – trombone, bass trombone
* Leon McCrary – backing vocals, vocal and choir arrangement
* Charles Henderson-McCrary – backing vocals, vocal and choir arrangement
* Anjolee Williams – backing vocals
* Olivia Walker – backing vocals
* Patience Henderson-McCrary – backing vocals
* Sarah Wilson – cello (4)
* Brian McNeill – keyboard programming (8)
* Pete Ferguson – vocals, keyboards (8)
* Kevin Burleigh – percussion (9)
* Tracyanne Campbell – vocals (10)

Technical

* Kevin Burleigh – mixing (tracks 1, ), engineering (1, 9)
* Brian McNeill – mixing, engineering (2–6, 9–11)
* Matt Wiggins – mixing, engineering (7)
* Kyle Startup – mixing (8)
* Frank Arkwright – mastering
* Pete Ferguson – engineering (8)
* Tony Doogan – engineering (9)

Visuals

* Emma Durnan – sleeve design
* Hristian Valev – cover model
* Marisa Privitera Murdoch – photography assistance

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for Late Developers Chart (2023)  | Peak
position

|

Portuguese Albums (AFP)[22] | 31
Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] | 4
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[24] | 60
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] | 82
UK Albums (OCC)[26] | 30
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[27] | 3

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Grieg, Zena. "Belle And Sebastian - Late Developers". www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
2. ^ a b c d Murray, Robin (18 January 2023). "Clash Magazine Review". Clash. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
3. ^ "Album Review: Belle and Sebastian - Late Developers -". mxdwn Music. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
4. ^ "The Quietus | Reviews | Belle and Sebastian". The Quietus. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
5. ^ a b Clarke, Patrick (9 January 2023). "Belle & Sebastian talk surprise album 'Late Developers' and "90s power ballad" 'I Don't Know What You See In Me'". NME. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
6. ^ Arcand, Rob (9 January 2023). "Belle and Sebastian Releasing New Album, Late Developers, This Friday". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
7. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (9 January 2023). "Belle and Sebastian announce new album with lead single "I Don't Know What You See In Me"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
8. ^ Hudson, Alex (6 January 2023). "Belle and Sebastian Post Mysterious Teaser". Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
9. ^ Hudson, Alex (9 January 2023). "Belle and Sebastian to Release Surprise Album 'Late Developers' This Week". Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
10. ^ "Belle and Sebastian – I Don't Know What You See in Me". 11 January 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023 - via YouTube.
11. ^ "AnyDecentMusic Review". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
12. ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
13. ^ Thomas, Fred. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
14. ^ Hudson, Alex (12 January 2023). "Belle and Sebastian Sound Best When They're Themselves on 'Late Developers'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
15. ^ Cobar, Rene (13 January 2023). "The Line of Best Fit Review". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
16. ^ Murphy, John (13 January 2023). "MusicOMH Review". MusicOMH. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
17. ^ Mongredien, Phil (16 January 2023). "The Observer Review". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
18. ^ Hogan, Mark (13 January 2023). "Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
19. ^ Sefton, Max (16 January 2023). "The Skinny Review". The Skinny. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
20. ^ McCormick, Neil (13 January 2023). "Americana star Margo Price dazzles, Gaz Coombes ponders marital mid-life – the week's best albums". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
21. ^ "Late Developers - Beat Records". Beatink.com. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
22. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Belle and Sebastian – Late Developers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
23. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
24. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Belle and Sebastian – Late Developers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
25. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Belle and Sebastian – Late Developers". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
26. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
27. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 March 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Late Developers at Discogs (list of releases)
* Late Developers at MusicBrainz (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Belle and Sebastian

* Stuart Murdoch
* Stevie Jackson
* Chris Geddes
* Richard Colburn
* Sarah Martin
* Bobby Kildea
* Dave McGowan

* Isobel Campbell
* Stuart David
* Mick Cooke

Studio albums|

* Tigermilk
* If You're Feeling Sinister
* The Boy with the Arab Strap
* Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant
* Storytelling
* Dear Catastrophe Waitress
* The Life Pursuit
* Belle and Sebastian Write About Love
* Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance
* Days of the Bagnold Summer
* A Bit of Previous
* Late Developers

EPs|

* Dog on Wheels
* Lazy Line Painter Jane
* 3.. 6.. 9 Seconds of Light
* This Is Just a Modern Rock Song
* Books
* Introducing... Belle & Sebastian
* Come On Sister

Compilation albums|

* Lazy Line Painter Jane
* Push Barman to Open Old Wounds
* The Third Eye Centre
* How to Solve Our Human Problems

Live albums|

* If You're Feeling Sinister: Live at the Barbican
* The BBC Sessions
* Live 2015
* What to Look for in Summer

Late Night Tales compilations|

* Late Night Tales: Belle & Sebastian
* Late Night Tales: Belle and Sebastian Vol. II

Videos|

* Fans Only

Singles|

* "Legal Man"
* "Jonathan David"
* "I'm Waking Up to Us"
* "Piazza, New York Catcher"
* "Step into My Office, Baby"
* "I'm a Cuckoo"
* "Funny Little Frog"
* "Casaco Marrom"
* "The Blues Are Still Blue"
* "White Collar Boy"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Bowlie Weekender
* God Help the Girl
* God Help the Girl (film)
* Put the Book Back on the Shelf

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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