Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love

Our review
Customer reviews
Press release
Soundclips

4...according to our Clinton on Thu 07 Oct, 2010.

They really are a silly bunch aren't they? They have one of the most distinctive singers in the world yet the opener is sung (albeit adeptly) by someone else. Eventually Stuart Murdoch makes an appearance half way through but its too late, the song is reasonably good but it could be anyone. Things don't improve too much by track 2 with its cheesy organ and guitar giving it the feel of a toy band. I was hoping for some pop hits along the lines of 'Step into my Office Baby', some depth, some soul. It all seems a little bit dinky. Even 'I Want the World to Stop' which features their usual Love meets C86 melodies sounds a little trite and lacking in the glorious strings that lovingly smothered past achievements such as 'I'm Waking up to Us'. The title track gives an indication of their recent pop soul achievements and has a chorus inexplicably sung by Pride and Prejudice actress Carey Mulligan. The general rule seems to be:- Belle and Sebastien are much better when playful, raiding 70's glam rock and bubblegum pop as on 'I'm Not Living in the Real World'. 'The Ghost of Rock School' is classic Belle and Sebastien, a lovely wandering melody, haunting vocal (lets pretend to ignore the religious lyrics) and parping trumpets. So a mixed bag really, some really uninspired moments sit along some examples of what can make them so special.

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· Four and a half years after the release of ‘The Life Pursuit’ - a Top
Ten album in the UK which sold over a quarter of a million copies
globally - Belle And Sebastian release their new album on Rough
Trade Records.

· It is their third album since signing to Rough Trade in 2002, following
‘The Life Pursuit’ (2006) and ‘Dear Catastrophe Waitress’ (2003).
Unlike its predecessors, it is an album which has come together in a
relatively short period of time. After reconvening in February 2010, a
period of writing and pre-production in Glasgow was followed by a
trip to Los Angeles for recording with Tony Hoffer (who also
produced ‘The Life Pursuit’) at the renowned Sound Factory Studio B.

· Adopting a more fluid approach than on the previous record, fourteen
songs were recorded and mixed by the start of June, of which eleven
feature on the CD and vinyl releases. Two further tracks from these
sessions appear on a bonus 7” with the vinyl edition of the album.

· As ever, the record draws the band’s internal songwriting strengths,
but this time includes some guest performances. Stuart Murdoch
wrote the majority of the songs on the album, while Sarah Martin
takes lead vocals on her two contributions, ‘I Didn’t See It Coming’
and ‘I Can See Your Future’ and Stevie Jackson on his (‘I’m Not
Living In The Real World’). In addition, Norah Jones contributes lead
vocals to ‘Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John’ (which also appears on
her forthcoming album of duets and collaborations called ‘Featuring’)
and actress Carey Mulligan sings on ‘Write About Love’. Strings were
added by LA residents The Section Quartet.

Tracklisting:

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