Belle and Sebastian

With 2003's Dear Catastrophe Waitress and 2006's The Life Pursuit, Belle and Sebastian revitalized their career by incorporating sleek AM soul into their usual twee pop sound. On Write About Love, their new style is starting to lose its sparkle. The upbeat title track doesn't offer much in the way of catchy hooks, while slower songs like "The Ghost of Rockschool" and "Read the Blessed Pages" lack the riveting lyricism of the group's best work. Surprisingly, the album's best track is one of the two not penned by frontman Stuart Murdoch. Violinist Sarah Martin's "I Didn't See It Coming" is beautifully bittersweet, her wounded vocals offset by the brisk tempo. Other winners, like the slinky "I Want the World to Stop" and the sun-dazzled "Sunday's Pretty Icons," will be excellent additions to your next indie pop playlist. Write About Love won't add to the group's legacy, but it won't tarnish it either.