BeThisBell – The Red Album (Album Review)

I am very fascinated by acts that take a stand against the sea of conformity and carve out a niche that ‘writes for itself’- giving them a niche that doesn’t require much embellishment to embrace. It is so unique, that the niche becomes self-explanatory.  Artists like these don’t get propped up in the mainstream eye these days, which I find a shame, but it is also a bittersweet truth. Sometimes, when you keep these gems of an act without them selling out, you get a taste of authenticity with the art.

That’s one thing that I genuinely think is lacking when it comes to acts these days – a strong suit for authenticity. However, with today’s review, I don’t think there is ANY lack of authenticity. In fact, it stays true to its roots. Meet BeThisBell, an act that will definitely keep you on your toes, oozing with intrigue.

BeThisBell is an American alternative rock band that combines its own unique sound with influences from subsets of rock such as punk, garage and psychedelic rock. The brainchild of this band is BeTh IsBell- a vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and also the band’s namesake. I rarely hear of bands having their name referenced to the main vocalist, with the last one that I know of being Sade or Marina and the Diamonds, so this definitely gives it an interesting quirk. The other members of the band include bassist Cody Fowler aka Horse Thief, and guitarist Justin Hays. 

BeThisBell also cites their musical influences as The Flaming Lips, early alt-psych-punk bands such as the Velvet Underground, The Pixies, and artists such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop. 

They also bear similarity in their soundscape and instrumentation to artists such as Seattle’s ‘Band of Horses’ when they employ a punk-heavy and psychedelic-infused alternative rock sound, and when bearing a heavy edge with their sound, comparisons arise to acts such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, or Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

As the first paragraph implies, what makes this band stand out is their unique antics. BeThisBell has a front person who is transgender, with dashing costumes and occasionally outrageous lyrics. Don’t let this persuade you into thinking that the antics surpass the level of artistry, as BeTh has a history of semi-commercial success in country and Americana songwriting through her debut album, ‘The Good Woman Waltz’ recorded before her gender transition. She also bears an associate’s degree in contemporary music performance, as well as a bachelor’s degree in sound technology. Her vocal tone is also still leaning towards that of a male, and her voice bears comparisons to the lead vocalists for bands such as Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor) and Pierce the Veil (Nick Fuentes). 

The History of the Band 

The band itself came into culmination in 2013, while the three band members were attending the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma (ACM@UCO). 

During their time there, they were under the tutelage of Oklahoma City-based alternative rock act ‘The Flaming Lips’. Interestingly, the manager of the band is also the Dean of the music college. They then recorded and released their debut album in 2014 titled ‘We Are The Gods!’ to critical acclaim as well as praise from the music industry. This release led them to a publishing deal with EMI and a derivative co-write with the legendary David Bowie, as some of the songwriting of the album paid homage to his song ‘Space Oddity’. The album was also constructed with the help of ACM’s lead guitarist Blaise Thompson as well as guest drummer Nic Ley, associated with The Flaming Lips and colourmusic.

The band then went on to record a sophomore EP titled ‘Work It Out’ in the following year. They recorded the album at Bell Labs in Norman, Oklahoma under the recording engineer and producer Trent Bell, who will also supervise their newest release, The Red Album. 

The Red Album contains one song titled ‘Mother Says’ with the original band lineup (Beth IsBell and Cody Fowler), but other songs include other multitalented and multifaceted artists such as Ray Triana and Spencer Kennedy who plays the guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. It boasts contrasting intricate jazzy as well as psychedelic lead guitar lines to isBell’s instrumentation. Ty Clark also contributes to the album with proficient percussion as well as rock grooves , The album was mixed and mastered by Dominic Romano at Bongo Boy Studios in California.

Thus far, the album and the culmination of the band bear a complicated and colorful history behind it. It seems to have very strong roots and backing, due to the prowess and skill of each individual artist that contributed to the lasting artistry of BeThisBell. However, we have to see if the newest release, ‘The Red Album’, stands the test of competency amidst the sea of recognition we have established. With that, let’s get into each individual track of the album and understand the artistry behind it.

The album starts off with an introductory track titled ‘Ancestral Dance II’. It bears semi-resemblance to EDM, and it is also a longer version of the introductory track off of the band’s former release, ‘We Are The Gods!’. To me, the track sounds a little MIDI-heavy and should’ve been done with better VSTs and audio tracks. It is semi EDM, the classification isn’t wrong- but it reminds me more of a mixture of tribal house and trip-hop. I think as an abstract artistic choice, the introduction track would’ve worked, but the quality of the clips of the instruments need improvement. No problems there with the composition and the intent. It also has a majestic twang to it, quite befitting for an epic sound journey that is to unfold.

‘Kief’ follows suit, with an immediate possessive hook that will keep you ‘hooked’ onto the track. It is dirty, it is enthralling, in all the right ways that a punk-inspired track should. The song is inspired by a legendary band party by The Mother Vines, paying homage to LA surf punk. I can definitely hear the surf punk influence on the track, with the oscillating nature of the lead guitar’s riffs. It has a very clean tone, even though it’s electric, and I can truly appreciate that from a sound engineering perspective.

The slight polyrhythms in the background coupled with the fastidiousness of the percussions (snares and kick primarily) help to give the song more of a surf punk buildup. The bass also helps give the song a slight subversive ‘bounce’, further amplifying its thematic genre. The song definitely has attitude to it, and the vocal delivery of Beth IsBell is clear, direct and fits the tone of the song overall. In a weird way, this song also reminds me of ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ by The Stooges, a proto-punk classic. This song is definitely proficient in conveying its intent and is quite sickeningly good.

The third track, ‘Odom Chumbley‘, starts out with no room for you to doubt the epicness of the song. It starts off extremely strong with the guitar riffs. I’m not sure exactly what Odom Chumbley intends to convey lyrically, as all I can gather of its context is that it is a real person who is a booker living in Austin, Texas, but I don’t think context is necessary to feel the gist and the intensity of the song. The song bears a lively and steadfast tempo, with the drumming giving the song the exhilarating heartbeat it has.

Spencer Kennedy absolutely shines with the lead guitar in this song, racing through various rhythms and guitar patterns that make you feel like you’re going through a hypothetical trance of rush. The vocalist also delivers perfectly in this song, with strong vocals that definitely fit the song. The slight guitar solo in the middle of the song is also microtonal, giving more variety to the melodic soundscape of the song. This song screams energy, for sure. One of my personal favorite tracks of the album. This song also reminds me of a lot of tracks on Nirvana’s debut album, titled ‘Bleach’.

The fourth track, ‘Red Suitcase’, retains the same niche the previous track has: starting off with energy-packed punches through the tempo, steadfast drumming, and the guitar. However, this track is definitely special and has a different melodic tone to the previous track. The use of more guitar effects, what I assume to be the use of pedals and slight wah-wahs, surely give the song a neo-60s psychedelic feel while the percussion keeps the punk groove alive.

I find this juxtaposition quite soothing to my ears, actually. A depth permeates throughout the song that gives the rhythmic patterns of the guitar an emotional depth that is palpable enough to not describe. In some instances, it almost traverses into Sahel blues territory… which in my books, is a wonderful thing. Ray Triana plays the wonderful and multidimensional lead guitar on this track. The track was also written by former bandmate of the main vocalist, Zach Alder. Another highly recommended track from this album.

The fifth track is a cover of Patti Smith’s cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. Essentially, a cover of a cover. Patti Smith’s cover definitely differentiates from the original version as it sounds thematically deeper as well as quite haunting (in a great way). The original is angsty, and palpable, while this is airier and gives more room for interpretation. Similarly, the motive for this cover follows suit. The keys of the original track are slightly modified, and the spaced-out guitar effects make it almost sound like a technological-folk interpretation. It is also quite bluesy in its execution.

In all of the tracks thus far, I think Beth’s vocal delivery is at its best in this particular song. Her voice oscillates between a spooky earnestness and a vocal projection very similar to David Bowie’s own vocal delivery. This song coats my ears and brain with a conundrum between steadfastness, airiness and subversion. The instrumentation is also extremely poignant in helping elevate the vocalist’s vocals. The bass also makes a very subtle yet profound role in this cover, giving it the underlying darkness that it needs. Once again, the intriguing guitar effects are provided by Spencer Kennedy. I’m not typically a fan of covers, but this one surpasses my bias. Wonderful.

The sixth track, ‘Warmonger’, is a bold and brash take on a statement. An anti-war statement in the form of a song. I find the syncopation of the percussion in this track very oddly befitting of the theme of the song. The tone of the guitar is harsh and definitely significant, with a bit of blues and dread in its delivery. It kind of reminds me of a rehashed version of Rage Against The Machine, but with a funkier take on it. The lead vocalist definitely delivers in this song with steadfast delivery, pinpointing the inconsistencies in those who are intent to wage war without any real strategy or thought behind it. This song is definitely ‘dirty’ in its soundscape, perhaps to artistically reflect the dirty work of people they are speaking out against. Once again, Spencer Kennedy shines in the lead guitar of the song- it really makes the song. This track is also decently mastered and fades out very, very artistically. I can definitely appreciate this song.

The track afterwards, ‘Mother Says’, goes back to same musical roots that truly makes me inclined to bear more resemblance to the Bleach album. The composition, the tone of the drums, the anticipation and the build-up… it is quite similar, dare I say, almost better because of how well mastered the song is. This is the star track of the album. This is also the only song on the album that has the same lineup as the band’s lineup arrangement in their previous album. The drums are very significant in this track, with how tight and versatile the tempo and syncopation adapts to the other rhythmic and melodic quirks throughout the song. Beth’s vocals also shine in a different light in this song.

Even though her voice is in the background of all of the other instrumental tracks, I can definitely hear more of an experimental take in ‘playing with her voice’ throughout the track. The multiple layering of the guitar tracks and polyphony throughout also makes me internally classify this song as gearing more towards the noise rock genre, as it reminds me of a lot of tracks by Sonic Youth. At some instances, the effects used in the guitar almost sound like Morse code. This song is definitely one of the most complex tracks in this album, it is not only enjoyable, it makes me think. Highly recommended.

The eighth track, ‘Hey Humboldt’, starts off quite differently compared to the sequence of tracks thus far. It starts off with a more heartfelt yet edgy guitar trill. It sounds more holistic than all of the other songs on this album. Perhaps, this is due to the theme of the song itself. Hey Humboldt is a song that references the locale the band is based in: Humboldt County in California. It is in the heart of the ‘Emerald Triangle’, a place known for growing the world’s most potent marijuana. The song paints a picture about the dark side of living in the area and the misfortunes of people and their drug habits in the area.

Similarly, the song fits the lyrical theme of the song- all the riffs and melodies in this song sound extremely heartfelt and sound like they mean to sonically represent a struggle. It is very emotionally complex and makes me feel a lot of things at once, to be honest. Alacrity, seriousness, nostalgia, loss, worry and acceptance all in one. Beth’s vocal delivery in this track also truly fits the track, once again. She has a wonderful way of manipulating her singing techniques to fit each emotional tone that each song requires. Her cadence on the chorus, ‘hey Humboldt’, reminds me of Benjamin Clementine‘s urgent cadence in ‘London’. Ray Triana and Spencer Kennedy join forces on this track together to provide the interwoven lead guitar in this track. It is a song that packs so much, that words are simply not enough to describe it. This is a must-listen track.

The ninth track is technically a mix of the seventh track, ‘Mother Says’. It retains all the traits of the original track but this time, Beth personally mixed this track by moving all of Blaise’s lead guitars in the track by hand. It definitely leads to a slightly different interpretation of the track, one that is more dynamic instead of correlating to pack a singular punch like the initial track. I think it’s great that this mix exists because it makes other aspects of the guitars in the mix definitely shine.

The tenth track is ‘Morphine’, featuring ?Question Everything?. ?Question Everything? is a duo that comprises of Beth and Chandler Nelson. The theme of the song deals with morphine addiction. I must say, I was initially put off by the mixing in this track, especially with the vocal parts but as I continued to listen to it, it grew on me more and more. I’d almost consider this track avant-garde in a way, because the mix would not be traditionally considered as ‘proficient’, but if you dig deeper, it reminds me of a lot of tracks from the late 60s to the 70s, once again, giving BeThisBell the psychedelic niche that it requires.

The panning of the track definitely gives the track extra character, making it sound as if it was ‘spaced out’, giving you space to think and feel the emotional tone of the guitars and the vocals. I think this track is extremely deep and comes from lived experiences. This is an extremely authentic song. The bass and drums that complement the spacey feel of the soundscape of the song are provided by Spencer Kennedy, and it just adds on to the feel of the song. Sometimes, when you add sparse percussion and other forms of instrumentation to an already spaced out soundscape, it amplifies its feel. It’s kind of like stylistically adding a camel to a scenery of dunes instead of just picturing the dunes itself. Another interesting song in the album.

Last but not least, the bonus track called ‘Spider’ finishes the album with the same genre-bending innovation that starts the album. It sounds like a neo-Wild Western song, with the tricked out vocals and the wild backing track. In a way, it also reminds me of the quirkiness of the 80s and 90s. The way the song is executed does remind me of acts like Art of Noise, when they weren’t afraid to experiment with strange ways of vocal manipulation and non-traditional song structure. The only problem I have with this song is that it is too short, and I hope the band expands on experimental tracks like these, as I find them quite interesting.

Overall, The Red Album was a wonderful album to listen to. Honestly, from the footnotes, information, and history surrounding this band, it is hard to really think that this album would be subpar. There is too many intricacies and skills scattered throughout the band and its repertoire for them to put out anything that wouldn’t be at least artistically profound. I’d never listened to this band before, and from this release alone, I feel like I have traversed through a separate creative universe of multiple domains.

Even though the album boasts a primarily post-punk and psychedelic soundscape, there are many, many, maaaany little quirks throughout the album that makes it more interdisciplinary than it is poised to be. It had everything: energy, intensity, emotionality, vulnerability, bravery and everything inbetween. In terms of mastering, a lot of the tracks on the album were excellently mastered. Nothing truly felt out of place and each instrument and vocal track had the chance to shine, if the stylistic theme of the song needed it. The lyrics and emotional palpability in this album is also extremely deep and profound, making it where there is a depth to this release and it can’t be overlooked as anything shallow. All of the contributing musicians on this album contributed wonderful parts to this album and birthed a great piece of art.

Score/Excellent: ‘The Red Album’ is a wonderful album that takes you through the interdimensionality of BeThisBell. It is an album that oozes authentic artistic intent, coupled with highly competent mastering, composition as well as execution. A high amount of musical variability is littered throughout the album, and as you get hyped, be prepared to also be put through an emotionally poignant journey. A multifaceted album, indeed.

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