|
|
|
Bell X1 - Blue Lights on the Runway
| Ew |
| The best song on this Irish outfit's fourth disc is a pitch-perfect Talking Heads impression called ''The Great Defector,'' which may or may not have been inspired by Bell X1's own great defector, Damien Rice. (Before he split to pursue a solo career, Rice played with these guys as Juniper.) The rest of Blue Lights on the Runway is duller than that highlight; most of it sounds like warmed-over Coldplay, a commodity in no short supply among earnest U.K. indie types. Pity they didn't catch a more serious case of that band's Experimental Fourth Album Syndrome. C+...full text |
|
|
| Comfortcomes |
|
Looking for something mellow? Well Bell X1 has what you need. Not to say they aren’t coming at you hard with this new album, they definitely are. But it’s about as hard as a pillow fight, just to give you an idea of how mellow this mellow is. Right in time for Valentine’s Day the Scottish band Bell X1’s album “Blue Lights on the Runway” is a bit reminiscent of 90’s love songs. With simple drum patterns and a smooth vocals playing off of the harmonizing drum and bass, it’s the perfect album to listen to right before bed. No seriously, it is. There’s no super high pitched notes, no abrupt screaming, heck I don’t even think there are guitar solos. Now, as monotone as this may sound, it is not boring, as long as you like listening to lyrics. One of my Favorite songs from this album would be the first track “The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella.” The comparison of a man exposed to a broken umbrella, caught me first, as an English scholar, and then as a romantic, as the song speaks upon a man’s encounter with a woman he wants to meet again. It’s pretty epic, for a mellow love track. In all, “Blue Lights on the Runway” is exactly what you might imagine when you hear the alum title, cool, calm, relaxing, and ready to take you off into la-la land. I recommend it, you never know when you’ll need a midnight music masterpiece....full text |
|
|
| State |
|
Perhaps more than any other Irish band of the last decade, BellX1 have managed to walk the tightrope between commercial success and critical acclaim. That fact alone is surprising. Their brand of, for want of a better word, art-pop would normally be anathema to this country’s uber-conservative radio programmers (apart from the obvious music fans who dictate their own playlists), but their unerring ability to weld thoughtful, intelligent lyrics to toe-tappingly catchy hooks and melodies has ensured that at least some of our airwaves are free of anodyne, saccharine-soaked sentiment. With their fourth album, Blue Lights On The Runway, they have added some electronic bells and whistles into the mix, and yet the beating heart of their music remains unerringly human. Album opener, ‘The Ribs Of A Broken Umbrella’ kicks in with a metronomic drum-beat, before some gorgeous ‘la-la-la’ backing vocals underpin what is essentially a tale of unrequited love, but this is no tear-jerker. Instead, it’s a wonderfully upbeat, almost giddy pop song, driven by a frenetic energy and a melody so infectious, it could come with its own vaccination. ‘How Your Heart’, premiered at last year’s Oxegen festival, encapsulates the band’s newfound love of all things electronic: staccato beats and digital whirs and bleeps form the bedrock, but Paul Noonan’s lyrics and sweet delivery ensure the structure is constructed from warm, fuzzy soul....full text |
|
|
Go to "Bell X1 " lyrics