A Running Commentary

Bell X1 – Flock (Yep Roc)
Producer: Roger Bechirian
Rating 3.5 of 5
Top tracks: Flame, Bigger Than Me, Rocky Took A Lover

Having missed the foreign release in 2006, the stellar press stoked my hopes for the expanded release of Bell X1’s Flock. Q labeled it “majestic and elegant”, NME a “brave new marker”, and PASTE claimed they “surpass former frontman [Damien] Rice”. Naturally expectations out distanced reality, but not embarrassingly so.

Lagging behind Snow Patrol for title of ‘that other Irish rock band’, the members in Bell X1 have had less notoriety in the States than former front man Rice. Originally formed as Juniper, the band rechristened themselves Bell X1 (as in Chuck Yeager’s famous sound-barrier busting plane) after Rice’s departure in 1998.

In contrast to Rice, Bell X1 come off very much as a band. Flock makes for a pleasant, beautiful listen in the Grey’s Anatomy, Starbucks overhead, yupster iPod vein. Falling somewhere between Travis and Howie Day, the record is not as hip as the former but of more substance than the later. Songs are tightly crafted and melodic but largely devoid of pronounced hooks. Other than a couple of exceptions (”Flame”, “Bigger Than Me”) the record tends to slip into sedate background listening. The most vibrant track is “Flame”, which recalls a bit of Kent with its hopping bass line.

Rating Key:
5 – For fans of music
4 – For fans of the genre
3 – For fans of the band
2 – For fans of disappointment