Bell X1 at number 3 - did that surprise you? There's a lot of people out there who didn't get this album - saw Bell X1 as some Coldplay/Radiohead wannabe band which is so far off the mark it's untrue. It is my belief that the people who didn't like this simply didn't listen to it - certainly they missed the ingenious lyrics written by Paul Noonan, certainly they must have missed the variety of music on display here - it's all on here banjo solos to distorted guitars, certainly they must have missed the sheer amount of ideas in this album, maybe they were waiting for the new Papa Roach album becasue they have definately missed something special.
On my first few listens I regarded it pretty much as throwaway stuff - it sat in my car and I generally ignored it - until one day I was so bored that I put it on again - that was it - it remained in the car for a week solid getting played over and over again - even my kids knew the words to the songs - my little girl who has been fed a strict diet of "Stone Roses" and late "Beatles" since birth loves it so it has received the official seal of approval.
Like most of the albums on this list - if you invest a little time in this record it will reward you - if you listen closely to the words they will amuse you, if you really listen to the tunes they will impress you. The album has it all - quirky indie pop tunes in "Snakes and Snakes" and "Alphabet Soup", slow groove tracks "Daybreak" and "Bound For Boston Hill" , some "Simon And Garfunkel" folk thrown in with "West Of Her Spine" heavy Rock tracks like "Tongue" and "Whitewater Song". Personally, my favourite is "Next To You" - a perfect song in every way...
The album finishes with two of my favourite songs in recent memory - "In Every Sunflower" - just a beautiful piece of music lamenting the loss of a friend - you actually believe the pain here - my wife hates it - "Bloody Dirge!" - personally I like dirge and the line "I wouldn't swap the pain for never knowing you" gets me every time. The last song "I'll See your Heart And Raise You Mine" is staggering - the tale of card playing Angels and Devils over such beautiful music it just sweeps you away - it's a proper end to an album that one!
Every person I have introduced to this album loves it - every person I have taken to see them live loves them - maybe it's because I'm getting older and the taste is changing slightly but this band is the first band I have been genuinely excited about in years. The band followed this up with "Flock" which received universally great reviews - no doubt it is brilliant however this is Bell X1's masterpiece even if you don't realise it yet.
Of yeah and do they sound like Coldplay? - only if you're not really listening...
01. Snakes And Snakes
02. Alphabet Soup
03. Daybreak
04. Eve, The Apple Of My Eye
05. Next To You
06. West Of Her Spine
07. Bound For Boston Hill
08. Tongue
09. White Water Song
10. In Every Sunflower
11. I'll See Your Heart & I'll Raise You Mine
03. Daybreak
04. Eve, The Apple Of My Eye
05. Next To You
06. West Of Her Spine
07. Bound For Boston Hill
08. Tongue
09. White Water Song
10. In Every Sunflower
11. I'll See Your Heart & I'll Raise You Mine
http://rapidshare.com/files/46773888/2002_Music_In_Mouth.rar
