Once the favorite stuffed toy of the mopey, dopey gentlefolk, Scotland’s Belle and Sebastian were, at their most energetic, a soundtrack for skipping along the lane, and at their least energetic, old sad bastard music (according to Jack Black in “High Fidelity”). With The Life Pursuit, the band seems to be traveling backward in time through their influences, highlighting the era of A.M. pop with glassy organs, infectious melodies, sticky-sweet harmonies and guitars more jangly than ever.

The piano lead-in of the opener recalls Sergio Mendes and his pop-samba group, Brasil ’66, which is no coincidence — Pursuit is a pastel-hued tribute to lazy sunny days (see “Another Sunny Day,” a Byrdsesque tale of blossoming love and unavoidably fun adventures, — in the sun, of course). Stuart Murdoch’s lyrics are, as always, clever and endearing, and on the tracks where he takes over the lead vocals, his Glaswegian accent and heartfelt singing create instant classics — even if they sound like your favorite B&S song already. There are a few dull moments on the album, which feel a bit like shutting the blinds on a perfectly sunny day, but the quality tracks quickly make the album a memorable one. Compared to the cooped-up wintery beauty of their early albums, The Life Pursuit isn’t nearly as precious, but it lifts the fog shrouding the mopes and the dopes, preaching a new gospel: It’s a nice day. You should go out and enjoy it.