With singer Stuart Murdoch back in the songwriter's chair, Belle & Sebastian make up for this year's limp Jonathan David single -- their first real misstep as a recording band. Over a Hal Blaine-style backbeat, Murdoch does his best Arthur Lee -- the Forever Changes Lee, not the 7 And 7 Is one -- while B&S do their best Left Banke.

And while setting the restrained rage of a jilted, erudite narrator against a nifty orchestral pop tune isn't exactly new terrain, the back-to-form EP does feature plenty of bassoon.

As for the "B-side" tracks, Marx And Engels and I Love My Car are twee enough to give B&S-haters plenty of ammo -- "I love my Carl, I love my Brian, my Dennis, and my Al, I could even find it in my heart to love Mike Love."

Better here than on their next long-player.

Track Listing 1. I'm Waking Up To Us
  2. I Love My Car
  3. Marx And Engels