The BellRays
In the Light of the Sun
In Music We Trust
Dammit, if this was a good world, The BellRays would stride this narrow world like a colossus. They’ve got one of the most electrifying singers in music in Lisa Kekaula; she could scream the shine off Dick Cheney’s head, and I wish she’d try. But she’s not the whole story: the rhythm section of Ray Chin and Tony Bramel has tightness and depth to burn, and Bob Vennum is an authoritative songwriter and guitarist. Clearly, this is one of 2002’s better rock/soul discs –
Eh? What’s that you say? This CD is just a reissue of a cassette tape dating from their LA club days in 1992? What the hell? Okay, so it doesn’t qualify as this year’s music. It’s still pretty dope, though, in a trad sort of way. “Crazy Water” has some indelible little hooks, and the low-self-esteem anthem “Can I Make You Want Me?” is kind of gothic and emo, but funky.
If you’re all about the flavor of the month, go find a Baskin-Robbins. But if you like your blues and your soul all mixed up with a punky rocky energy, look no further.
The BellRays: http://www.bellrays.com
