Love Letters Joseph Mount often felt homesick for his friends and family back in England. “The funny thing about touring is that there are two things going on,” Mount says. “One is this massive enjoyment and very genuine pleasure of meeting fans and entertaining them. At the same time, this dream job takes you away from [people at home].” As he started writing the songs that would become the band’s fourth album, they turned into little odes — ways of connecting to his far-away loved ones. It’s no surprise, then, that Mount titled the record “Love Letters.” The result is a more intimate and downbeat record for a band known for idiosyncratic electropop. The other reason for the stripped-back sound was the decision to record in analog at Toe Rag Studios in London. The studio, where Jack White produced The White Stripes’ “Elephant,” is known in the industry for lending a retro sensibility to rock albums. Mount wanted to see how the old-school recording style could influence his own work, which had made heavy use of synthesizers and computers. Washington Post