For those of you unfamiliar with Belle and Sebastian, this band hails from Glasglow, a cosmopolitan city in the United Kingdom that is synonymous with a history of infamous music festivals. However deceiving their name, the band is actually comprised of seven band members: Stuart Murdoch, Stevie Jackson, Chris Geddes, Richard Colburn, Sarah Martin, Mick Cooke, and Bobby Kildea. Most of them have been originals from the start, back in 1996 when they first got together, making for a close-knit family who knows how to play off their strengths and has developed their own voice in the indie pop sphere of music.
Their sound is often compared to other British classics like The Smiths and Bob Dylan as it evokes a feeling of the 60’s and 70’s era- a time of happiness, love, and appreciation for all things beautiful. This album, Write About Love, is their eighth studio release, though it’s been four years since their last: The Life Pursuit.
However, we are definitely happy to see Belle and Sebastian back on the charts. Released to the U.S. on October 11th, Write About Love is still fresh on our radar. Many fans would say it’s Stuart Murdoch who tends to take main stage, but this time around I feel the whole group comes together to collaborate their various strengths and create a true compilation that defines Belle and Sebastian for audiences old and new.
There’s a combination of long, elegant melodies like “Come On, Sister”, with catchy rhythmic pop tunes like “I Want The World To Stop”. There are even some guest singers sprinkled in the tracks like actress Carey Mulligan in “The Ghost of Rockschool” and Norah Jones in “Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John” that definitely make for a welcomed surprise.
While it’s been nearly five years since their last album, Belle and Sebastian have done it right in waiting and perfecting their sound for the release of Write About Love. It’s an album that feels complete and is sure to grow on you with each repeated listen as it flows nicely from start to finish.
By: Chelsea Olson
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