The Belle of the ball

The newest Belle and Sebastian album, “Write About Love,” is one of the strongest the group has released in a while. While the band neither does anything particularly experimental nor rises to epic heights, it manages to put out one of its most concise and consistent albums in years.

The album opens with “I Didn’t See It Coming,” sung by member Sarah Martin. Martin tries to ease the worries of an unknown lover, while leader Stuart Murdoch echoes her. A simple piano line adds a nice touch to the song, but the real show is in the tasteful rhythm section.

Not all the songs achieve the same pop perfection. Following a nefarious trend in indie music, Murdoch collaborates with other singers and not always to great effect. (Has indie music been poisoned by rap’s endless collaborations?) A duet with Norah Jones never goes anywhere, while Carey Mulligan’s contribution is surprisingly good (she’s in everything!).

Ultimately, the low moments are solidly in the minority, making “Write About Love” one of the band’s most enjoyable albums to date.