Review of The Belles's CD "Omerta"

The Belles: Omerta

You know the songs that conjure up emotions the first time you hear them, that order the hairs on your neck to attention, that stick with you and constantly tear at your emotions?

Well, The Belles have come up with a real hum-dinger. Hailing from the huge expanse of nothing that is Kansas, you can almost imagine the thunderstorm as it breaks, the rain pelting you with a maelstrom of emotions and lightning damning you with tears.

In just 200 seconds, the simple lilting lullaby formula sweeps you into its melancholic mist, its irresistible lo-fi charm echoing Kings of Convenience and Low at their most exuberant, before Looper style electronica whisks you off into the hazy distance in a tornado of wistfulness.

Sadly, "A Thousand Ships" fails to capture you in the same way. In fact it's hard to believe it's from the same band. The vocals are way too earnest, scratching and pulling at your ears like a spoilt child, before the Murmur style meanderings take you nowhere fast.

Still, put on your red shoes, click them twice and there really is no place like Kansas.

• www.thebelles.com

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