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The Belles

"You'd Better Bring It To The Waltz Young Man!"

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................................I recently found this review of a show we did in Ireland at The Spirit Store. It's easily one of our favourite venues in the world. Amazing staff. Amazing locals, etc. We've been there twice. Jake, Brian Everard and I were super locked in after a tour of Italy, England and Ireland. The song What We Are (from the Idle Acres ep) was the best it has ever been played live. It was so good that night that we've never been able to play it properly since. This particular show goes down as one of the most satisfying gigs i've ever played. All the right pieces fitting together at the right moment, I remember all of it and none of it at the same time. Anyhow, it's nice to have some sort of document of it. I'll post the photo's as well. ct

The Spirit Store, Saturday, August 14, 2004
If we were in the business of putting money on up and coming potentially huge bands on the verge, then The Belles would surely feature prominently on the list. The Kansas lads have been causing quite a stir stateside of late with their debut album Omerta, as music lovers and the music industry alike have been waxing lyrical about them and claiming they were fans from the start, which is exactly what The Spirit Store have done(only messing).
Seriously, The Spirit Store have an uncanny talent for booking potentially massive acts early on, The Frames, The Thrills, Josh Ritter or Snow Patrol anyone?...Many of the audience here tonight have been reeled in through sheer curiosity, myself included, not really knowing what to expect....2FM night time listeners will have noticed The Belles radio friendly single Never Said Anything sporadically splashed all over the airwaves.
I'm glad to report a pleasant surprise is what we experienced.
The Belles play the kind of music that should be synonymous with summer (despite the fact some of the songs are about winter!)...Two spaced out American hippie kids playing lazy lo-fi, alt-country - its not new but its simplicity belies the essential honesty factor needed in a good band. Songs like So I Sing and Omerta are delicate, faded, organic and yes, relaxing. The perfect backdrop to a Saturday afternoon. The sun was out to play and so were The Belles.
With residing smiles all around, The Belles won us over with their stylized, retro music and oozing, Americana charm.
Singer Chris lusted out (Who will be) Here to Hear with a floaty, honey-like, harmonic voice quite like Ira Kaplan, the Yo La Tengo frontman. Knowing he was on to a good thing, Chris joked, "If George W gets re-elected back home, then well just take up residency here in The Spirit Store!" He was on our side! Some more compliments about The Spirit Store cementing its legendary status (flattery gets you everywhere) and an invite to their hometown and we were sold!
As we swayed along, seemingly lulled into serenity (or maybe it was just that new pear cider?), The Belles began to get a bit nosier. New single Never said Anything is instantly likeable, sweet and insidiously tuneful.
One of the intriguing factors of watching The Belles, is the mystical air that they are shrouded in. Behind their curly mops, Chris and Jake have a twinkle in their eyes suggesting that their songs contain hidden depths and are not simply about, birds, trees and winter. This depth leaked out on the beautiful chilling These Things Will Kill Me - a lament to a ghost. "We're actually a lot crazier then we seem onstage," said Chris, and we believed him.
On the last song they unleashed this wonderful, dark side and full blown mayhem ensued....a repetitive chorus, some indulgent riffing and squealing feedback (I have never heard such sounds from an acoustic guitar before), gave way to tribal drumming, as Jake knocked over his kit and continued drumming, now sitting on top of the drum as Chris crouched over the amp battering his instrument. Jake began spontaneously drumming on the back of Chriss guitar making a mighty bellowing noise, until the song climaxed and the duo threw down their battered instruments. "Crap, I knocked over my drink," Chris mumbled as he wandered offstage and surveyed the carnage.
A well deserved standing ovation followed.
What passion, what mayhem, what a surprise!
The Belles have been described as 'beautiful laid back lo-fi, the perfect soothing soundtrack for a Sunday morning hangover." However, this type of sentiment is entirely lazy. If you are prepared to listen to an album and withdraw its qualities, I'm positive that you'll find more potential on Omerta than a backdrop for a bad hangover.
The fact that The Belles have the ability to turn restrained, dazed music into highly complicated and wonderfully dark arrangements reinforces their deservedness of your attention and admiration.
Its obvious they have the sound, the charms and the talent. They are possibly on the verge of something great, whether they will unleash their potent potential remains to be seen.
As The Belles quietly knock on the door of the big time, you can always say you saw them here first.
Review By: Tia Clarke


THE BELLES Idle Acres CD
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Official website www.thebellescom .
buy here or from iTunes .

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/18/2004
Band Website: thebelles.com
Band Members: Christopher Tolle - Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Percussion, Loops, etc.
Jacob Cardwell - Drum Kit, Percussion, Samples
With Live and Recorded contributions from our friends...
Andrew Ashby
Kirsten Paludan
Dan Weber
Brian Everard
Ehren Starks
J.D. Warnock
Ed Rose
Kristen May
Wade Williamson
Robert Pope
Aaron Pillar
Pete Donnelly
Ryan Pope
Pete Buxton
Even Johannsen
Andrew Sallee
Thom Hoskins
Nate Harold
Alessasndro Stefana
Amie Nelson
Scott Bricklin
Jeremy Sidener
Mike Alexander
Record Label: Little Hits. Secondnature
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

SOTM

For Easter we have resurrected a song called ’Misery Loves Industry’ from ’lost album’ of the same name. This version has some new tracks added to and a few taken away from the...
Posted by The Belles on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:37:00 PST

New Single of the Month!

Hello All, The latest installment of The Belles Single Of The Month is a song called Keep Me Away (From Your Heart). It was recorded & mixed by C.Tolle @ FourBigWatts. It features some sweet "backmask...
Posted by The Belles on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:11:00 PST

N.S.A. original demo - S.O.T.M. V

Hello, This months offering is the original demo for Never Said Anything. It was recorded on Peter Buxton's laptop in a quick evening in 2001 (i believe). We mixed it at the music store Peter wor...
Posted by The Belles on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:30:00 PST

Whippoorwill - S. O. T. M. IV

This month's song is called Whippoorwill. It was first tracked for the 'Misery Love Industry' album. The original mix was over the top and bombastic. It had at least six more guitar tracks than this ...
Posted by The Belles on Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:33:00 PST

New Years Resolution - S.O.T.M. 3

Hello, The third installment of The Belles - Singles of the Month is New Years Resolution. We have posted two different Live versions of this song (here) in the past. Now we finally offer you the...
Posted by The Belles on Mon, 02 Jul 2007 12:17:00 PST

Someone Missed The Party - S.O.T.M. #2

Someone Missed The Party will be June 2007's Single of the Month by The Belles. Also recorded by The Belles at Four Big Watts and mixed to 4 track cassette tape....
Posted by The Belles on Wed, 30 May 2007 03:05:00 PST

Existence Is Fragile - Single Of the Month #1

Single of the Month Number 1 released to public May 1st 2007 Existence Is Fragile is a snappy, little ditty about the decline of mankind and our effect on each other and the planet. Recorded with the ...
Posted by The Belles on Wed, 30 May 2007 02:57:00 PST

Singles Of The Month/Taste The Freedom!

Taste The Freedom! The Belles - Singles Of The Month 2007-8 has begun!  As the title suggests The Belles will be serving up a new song every month for the next year. That's 12 New tunes recorded ...
Posted by The Belles on Thu, 03 May 2007 10:19:00 PST

new stuff

Hola ( just back from Mexico you see), Over the last week, Jake and I started recording what may very well turn out to be our next full lenght record. We've got three drum tracks done and almost ...
Posted by The Belles on Thu, 27 Jul 2006 02:56:00 PST

Olympic Size

hello, i wanted to let you know that i (chris) have joined an amazing band called OLYMPIC SIZE (check the myspace page for tunes and shows). they have been my favourite kansas city band for quite s...
Posted by The Belles on Tue, 28 Feb 2006 03:52:00 PST