California natives turned Austin mainstays The Belle Sounds have made a name for themselves as seductive folk-pop aficionados, creating lush soundscapes intertwined with effervescent harmonies and beautiful lyricism. At different times their sound evokes Fleetwood Mac, Neko Case, Aimee Mann, The Shins or Jenny Lewis, and yet they stand out in their own unique sonic space with their effortless melodies, floating guitars and reflective storytelling. Throughout the five years they have called themselves The Belle Sounds, the band has undergone different iterations with various musicians sitting in, recording and performing, but the core of The Belle Sounds has always been frontwoman Noëlle Hampton and her husband, musical counterpart and electric guitarist André Moran.
On July 21 they will release their new album The Sea Within, a collection of songs that comes full circle in the sense that Noëlle and André are back to being the key players, inviting listeners to get swept up in the seductive interplay between their guitars and fall head first into the rich three-part harmonies underneath Noëlle’s powerful and at times very vulnerable lead vocals. The latest record features Noëlle on the electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys, percussion and lead vocals, André on the electric guitar and original band member Emily Shirley on the keys/synth and harmony vocals.They called on their favorite studio drummer Evan Hutchingsto come down from Nashville and local Austin badass John Michael(Night Glitter, Charlie Sexton) to play bass. The record also features Kris Nelsonon bass and backing vocals on several tracks along with Brian Standefer(Alejandro Escovedo) on cello. Noëlle and André enlisted the help of producer/engineer/keyboard player David Boyle(Patty Griffin, Fiona Apple, Robert Plant, Eddie Vedder, Okkervil River, Shinyribs) at Church House Studio in Austin, Texas to help them create an honest, emotional approach to each song and pull the various lyrical themes and grooves together into one cohesive work.
Today Glide is offering an early listen of the song “Like A Villain”. The song draws a strong connection to Noëlle’s personal experience with her intense anxiety and panic attacks and finding means of calming her mind, finding peace within. Musically, the song has a spunky groove that feels effortlessly cool as it straddles the line between indie rock and pop. The soaring synth and vocal harmonies for the chorus definitely give the song a Fleetwood Mac vibe, but The Belle Sounds take things in their own direction as they craft their own dark and jagged pop sound.
Reflecting on the meaning behind the song, Noëlle Hampton has this to say:
“This song has become a form of therapy for me in dealing with my panic attacks. Anyone who suffers from these knows how powerless we can feel when these overwhelming, mind altering waves try to pull us under. Many doctors recommend inviting the feeling in when it starts to happen in order to gain control, as if you say, ‘I see you, give me all you’ve got….just try to kill me’. I drew from this idea when I wrote “Like A Villain.” Getting through a panic attack is a battle every single time. Outsiders often think they have a solution but I think it’s a journey we have to figure out for ourselves. Maybe this song will make someone else feel a bit more empowered and that might be a small step on the long path to freeing themselves.”
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For more on The Belle Sounds visit www.thebellesounds.com.
