The Third Eye Centre

A collection of b-sides, rarities, and remixes, The Third Eye Centre is arguably the best way to survey Belle & Sebastian's impressive talents. Though it's true that the band has amassed an impressive catalog of studio albums that stand on their own, there's a serendipitous quality to this odds 'n' sods collection, where the usual B&S pop shuffles take a back seat to even quirkier moves. The Avalanches remix of "I'm a Cuckoo" is straightforward compared to the Miaoux Miaoux remix of "Your Cover's Blown," where the Scottish pop ensemble transform into a dance-floor favorite. For fans less beat-savvy, there's the gorgeous "I Took a Long Hard Look," with its vintage feel and paradoxical message to stop living in the past. The Edie Sedgwick tribute "Heaven in the Afternoon" throws together the perfect rainy-day item, complete with mournful horns. "Long Black Scarf" and "The Eighth Station of the Cross Kebab House" switch up the pop elements for jazzy and calypso atmospheres, right before the Richard X mix of "I Didn't See It Coming" shifts gears in yet another fine direction.