Bells on Trike

Bells on Trike [10-inch] (1996)

eatdogs

Take a step back from the current oversaturation of the “emo

revival” and listen to a band that did it better back in 1996. Of course they

weren’t trying to revive anything because they were already there. Instead of pandering,

they were original. Also they were one of the many who helped bring that twinkly

earworm Midwestern style to the reaches of today’s blogs and review sites.

Bells on Trike had only one release that we know of and it’s

a self-titled ep. It’s seven songs and it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, it’s not a slave to its style, it’s not glamorous, it’s not well produced, but

darn if it isn’t a charming listen.

What’s remarkable about sorta obscure pieces of music such

as this is how they are distinct snapshots of the past. It’s like finding an

old polaroid hidden in a shoebox in your grandparent’s attic. There’s something

unique about it, and you can’t really overdue it on a review for an album that’s

over 20 years old and turn it into a god tier piece like how people treat bands

such as American Football and Cap’n Jazz.

The songs themselves are very personal, which one can relate

to of course. There’s a youthfulness to these recordings and that’s where the

snapshot comes in. Harken back to a perhaps simpler time of being in a band and

just freakin’ going for it; making music and telling stories, or even breaking

free from whatever bonds you might be chained to.

The only minimal complaint against this album is how low the

vocals are in the mix, but that’s nothing really. Lo-fi sounds in indie/punk

rock were common back then and still are. That’s all a matter of taste.

If you are into this type of music and want to

go back to the well from whence it came and get that pure, honest energy and

passion, check out Bells on Trike and tell others about them. Don’t over-analyze,

just listen. Dig it…