Write About Love

After making their name as "wistful pop" musicians, Belle and Sebastian have come back from a four year break to release another album. This Scottish outfit often sing soft melodies of love, friendship and everything a band with nine members can think of. The album also serves as a reminder that the band now has the longevity of over a decade. With the release of their eighth album Write About Love on October 11, this indie band shows they really know who they are, and that they have their sound down.

According to Wikipedia.com, vocalist Murdoch once described the band as "a product of botched capitalism." This concept is truly shown with the band's avoidance of the media. The band is rarely interviewed or photographed and touring has never been high on the agenda. Because of this, Belle and Sebastian have never had a high profile life in the media. Instead they have spread their music by word of mouth by true music lovers and through the excitement of their true and faithful fans.

With all songs written by a member of the group, the album carries on the graceful and the melodic sound that the band has been known for is still very present in Write About Love with songs like "Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John" which tells a tale of lost friendship. Songs like this one and "Ghost of Rockschool" display undertones of jazz; however, lead singer Murdoch shows no surprises in the album. Often compared to Bob Dylan or Simon and Garfunkel in nature the band's soft vocals, they play off their variety of instrumentals such as the keyboard, cello and trumpet.

If  this band sounds like something you'd be interested in give the album's title track or "Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John," featuring Norah Jones a listen to. If you're a fan of other popular tracks by Belle and Sebastian, check out their first album, Tigermilk, or The Boy with the Arab Strap which was released in 1998. This record is often said to be their best.

Write About Love:

"I Didn't See It Coming"

"Come on Sister"

"Calculating Bimbo"

"I Want the World to Stop"

"Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John"

"Write About Love"

"I'm Not Living in the Real World"

"Ghost of Rockschool"

"Read the Blessed Pages"

"I Can See Your Future"

"Sunday's Pretty Icons"

"Blue Eyes of a Millionaire" (download only bonus track)

"Last Trip"

"Suicide Girl"