Andy Bell Single – Love Comes in Waves & I Was Alone
Andy Bell single “I Was Alone” is set free on the internet. Hopefully you have heard of his fantastic work in the Oxford UK band RIDE or maybe a band called Oasis? If not I shudder like Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld in disbelief.
Andy Bell is releasing an LP October 9th “The View From Halfway Down”. Another single “Love Comes In Waves” is also been floating around the information super highway – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbNmaB-es5U
The other Andy Bell single “I Was Alone” is considerably more introspective sounding than the first single. The vocal melodies compensate for the feeling of being the only person around for miles in a vast sprawling soundscape.
Let’s back up. Due to the response I have been getting I missed a chance to give his first single a proper write up. “Love Comes In Waves” is a kaleidoscope of sound. (visuals too if you watch the video) If you mess with hallucinogens and you want to send yourself on a tailspin you can watch this video. Colors spin and camera is slightly just out of focus. A guy in a motorcycle helmet in various sunny rural locations give maximum psych effect.
The song sounds like RIDE merged with some of the earlier jangle pop bands that were on Summershine and Sarah Records. Bright, clean and drenched with sun and melodies.
“Love comes in waves, psychedelic raves, lost nights, found in days of volume, fuzz and delays”. These lyrics suggest a person in love with their craft and that spending days playing with sound are days well spent.
” I Was Alone” sounds like minimalistic Ride B side. Although minimal it’s engaging. Andy Bell gives the song what it needs to breathe, what he is not playing is equally important to the rests and openness of the arrangement. With just a few instruments the sound feels wide and sprawling, The sense of being alone is apparent. Short and fast slapbacked out reverb chords accent the thud of a bass line. This reverb hits with perfect timing. Subtle orchestral strings or synths add just the right dimension on top of the rest of the aforementioned components.
The video is mostly a double exposure series of snapshots. Starting with the exterior of a gray black and white building, the viewer eventually gets to go inside. It’s as if the viewer and possibly Andy Bell start out alone and eventually find company. In the video, it’s the activities inside that are showing that seem to end the isolation. The video gives a sense of hope in the sense starts out grey and dismal. Even though the inside footage is running slow and double exposed, you see various people smile and the acoustic guitar at the end… well, I recommend you give it an eyeful.
In closing, and as mentioned above, Andy Bell’s LP “The View From Halfway Down” is releasing on the 9th of October through Sonic Cathedral. Pre-order digitally, on CD and blue vinyl http://smarturl.it/andybellalbum