Y3W: Belle & Sebastian's 'Write About Love'

Feb. 12, 2011— -- This week, Your Three Words are accompanied by Belle & Sebastian's latest single, "Write About Love."

The seven original members of Belle & Sebastian first converged at Glasgow's Stow College in 1996, after vocalist/guitarist Stuart Murdoch decided to record an album as his final project in a music business class. While only intended as a short-term venture, the release of "Tigermilk" kicked off a chain of events that would result in the band signing to a label, releasing seven studio albums, and touring the world over the course of the next fifteen years.

Along with Murdoch, the current lineup includes Richard Colburn (drums), Mick Cooke (trumpet), Chris Geddes (keys), Stevie Jackson (vocals, guitar), Bobby Kildea (guitar, bass) and Sarah Martin (violin, vocals). Recorders, vintage synthesizers and the occasional orchestra are just a few of the supplemental sounds on many B&S songs, and we recently had a chance to ask Martin about the band's diverse instrumentation.

"There probably isn't much we haven't used already," she said. "Personally, I'd like there to be more brass, especially live. Particularly trombones, tubas, big loud things!"

Before kicking off their world tour in 2010, the band travelled to California to record "Write About Love."

When asked if the change of location influenced their creative process in the studio, Martin said, "I think the distance probably does give us a certain reflective feeling about home, and about the people, places, and situations in the songs, which may have an effect on the way we made the record." She added, "Most likely, we'll make our next album in Glasgow, which will be strange after so long. We haven't done a whole album here this century!"