Energetic punk for fall
The band The Bobby Lees (stylized in all caps), has released their new album Bellevue this October through Ipecac Recordings. This project is the follow-up to their 2020 record, Skin Suit, which was produced by well-known rock artist Jon Spencer. The band is led by their main vocalist, Sam Quartin.
The first track on the record, “Bellevue,” starts out immediately with punchy lyricism, intense guitar riffs and a wild vocal performance by Quartin. The track is less than 90 seconds long, but nearly every moment of it sounds unhinged. The electric guitar and Quartin’s voice have a very energizing synergy, which makes the track feel dynamic. Undoubtedly it sets the tone for the rest of the record.
The follow-up to “Bellevue” is “Hollywood Junkyard.” The second track on the record is one of the best songs on the album. Quartin starts with a verse that sounds less like singing and more like a soliloquy. She makes reference to The Wizard of Oz, mentioning “heels,” “Dorothy” and a “tornado.” The track tells a terrifying story of someone who ended up in a ‘Hollywood junkyard’ after being told that they were “gonna be a star.”
“Death Train,” which is the fourth track on the record, is another solid track, with high energy and could have easily been inspired by an artist like The Cramps. In the middle of the song, there is a brief guitar riff which is taken from the melody of Edvard Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” which was very creative and surprisingly goes well with the vibe of the song.
“Have You Seen a Girl” starts with a simple yet eerie guitar riff. This track is very cinematic, and could easily be played in the background of a horror movie or played at a Halloween party. Quartin sings of a girl with “a bloody sweater on,” and the vocal performance quickly becomes demented and feels haunted.
The beginning of “Little Table” is rhythmically slower compared to the other tracks on the album. Quartin’s smarmy and unbothered ‘talk-singing’, mixed with the metaphoric-filled lyrics, makes the first half of the song feel very ‘Fiona Apple-esque.’ She sings “You got the arms of a guardian angel / And I got the legs to be your little table,” which is reminiscent of Fiona Apple’s 2020 track “Under The Table.”
The penultimate track, “Be My Enemy,” Quartin sings about feelings of dread, anxiety, and hatred. She sings “Feels like I’m knocking on an unknown door / Gun at my back, a blade at my throat.” The song is about returning the hate that a person gives you, “I’ll be your enemy too.” The energy is high, and is the last full-length song on the record, since the last track, “Mystery Theme Song” is a minute-and-a-half instrumental track.
Bellevue is a well-balanced and creative project filled with equal amounts of heart and energy. The band did a great job at diversifying their sound, and not creating a record that is repetitive. Bellevue is absolutely a must-listen for any punk or rock fans. And “Death Train” and “Have You Seen a Girl” are simply necessary for any Halloween party playlists.
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