Ronan O'BrienIt’s been 20 years, give or take, since Bell X1 released their third studio album, Flock. The band’s magnum opus in my opinion, it sits proudly as one of my all-time favourite Irish albums.
Bell X1
Before Bell X1, classmates Damien Rice, Paul Noonan, Dominic Phillips and Brian Crosby formed a band called Juniper. Soon adding David Geraghty and Lisa Thompson to the ranks, the band released two EPs independently before being signed to a six-album deal with PolyGram. Through this label, the band released two singles and ultimately disbanded when Rice left after a disagreement with the record label over artistic direction.
From the ashes of Juniper rose Bell X1, when the band wanted to continue playing together, with Noonan as vocalist. The band’s original contract was moved to Island Records, where their debut album Neither Am I was released in 2000. The follow-up album Music In Mouth was released in 2003, with “Eve, the Apple of My Eye“ spearheading its chart success.
The following summer, the band retreated to Wexford to begin composing their third studio album, Flock. When the album released in 2005, it went straight to No.1 in the Irish album charts and eventually went on to sell five-times platinum. The release was followed by a number of sold-out performances and since then, Bell X1 have gone on to become one of Ireland’s finest modern bands.
I Want To Be That Star
Bright, twinkly guitar tone open the album with some full-bodied drums on “Reacharound“. Noonan’s vocals are mellow at first, with some nice Irish humour cutting through in “Cute hoors on every corner”. The song evolves with some unbelievably sweet guitar tone, and reaches an apex as Noonan hits a blistering falsetto. Lyrically, it points to political corruption, with “Envelopes so brown” affirming the assumption poetically.
The ever-familiar guitar riff of “Flame“ brings me back to the Celtic Tiger every time I hear it. The chorus is delivered en masse, creating a perfect festival-style anthem. There’s a great nod to Leonard Cohen in the lyrics, “But you don’t really care for Jesus, now, do you?”, delivered effortlessly cool by Noonan. The anthem-like chorus continues throughout the remainder of the track, before stripping back to an A Capella version in the outro.
The synth and elephantine sounding drums of “Rocky Took A Lover“ are utterly timeless. Pulsating with incredible snippets of keys, strings and robotic sounds, there is so much to love in the instrumentals. However, the vocals really steal the show here. From humour in “if there was a God, then why is my arse the perfect height for kicking?” to an Oscar Wilde reference in “And from this gutter, we’re still staring at the stars”, it’s nothing short of brilliant. The melancholic harmonies of the instrumentals and vocals trigger a deep emotional feeling inside of me every time I hear this song. It’s a classic.
Kiss And Tell Them
From sweetness to a deeply unsettling tone comes “He Said She Said“, with off-key instrumentals and haunting backing vocals chanting throughout. The song abruptly picks up pace, with true rock guitars and drums accompanying Noonan’s jaded emotions. There’s an air of frustration in his delivery as the instrumentals rise, with exasperation dripping from his falsettos. It’s as if he’s conveyed his mind racing following an argument with someone, where his thoughts are completely scattered.
Further enormous sounding drums open the softer “Bad Skin Day“ in really cool fashion. The guitar tone is once again beautifully sweet and Noonan’s raspy vocals detail his anguish poetically. The lyrics initially point to self-conscious feelings over acne, but develop so much deeper. There is an air of exhaustion throughout, almost hinting to clinical depression and that translates beautifully to the listener. Or maybe that’s reading into things too much, “Oh Christ, I’m such a drama queen”, after all.
The instrumentals become slightly more upbeat in “Natalie“, but the lyrics once again are drenched in melancholy. Noonan’s vocals are exquisite again, detailing the failed pursuit of a love interest. The imagery is striking, with lyrics like “I still see her arm thrown over his shoulder / Like a noose / But worn loose”. That choir-like anthem delivery is evident again in the song’s outro, ending on another unhappy note.
Am I A Stone? Am I A Sponge?
Battling guitars bring the energy back up in “Bigger Than Me“, with the band showing off their talents once again. Elements of cowbell and synths add to the instrumental layers, with driving guitar rhythms constantly at the forefront. The backing vocals support the choruses, almost imitating a conversational exchange. Noonan channels his inner David Byrne in the outro, which tops off an incredibly dynamic track.
The mood once again shifts to a more melancholic place in “Just Like Mr. Benn“. The instrumentals are much softer here again, with towelled drums and clean guitars. Noonan’s pillowy vocals serenade the listener, detailing the difficulties of maintaining a long-distance relationship in the lyrics. The mood is tearful throughout, with the most gut-wrenching lyrics wrapping up the song, “We were the clock hands at midnight / Now you’re four whole hours behind”.
A chaotic piano melody echoed by finger squeaks on guitar strings open “My First Born For A Song“. The instrumentals become more frantic at times, with Noonan navigating throughout with near-nonsensical lyrics. It works in a really odd way, the mood shifts that come intermittently really create a sense of unease in a truly artistic manner. The latter half of the song becomes so instrumentally heavy, with less dichotomy and more sureness shining through. It’s like a rock song performed in a speakeasy, something I’ve never heard the likes of before.
Braithim Uaim Tú
Distant radio chatter and sweet acoustic guitar welcome “Trampoline“. Noonan’s vocals are soft once again, and introduce the upbeat melody with the dulcet “So go lightly don’t wake her / Let her dream”. While the instrumentals are sweet, the lyrical content points at emotional strain following the demise of a relationship. When two souls are intertwined, it’s easy to separate themselves from the world. But when reality kicks in, there is no safety mat to spring oneself back to the same heights.
The album closes with the longest track on the album, “Lamposts“. The instrumentals and vocals are drawn out, like the strain of a relationship. Lyrically, this sentiment is echoed through the chorus; “I’ve been walking you / Into those lamposts again / I’d rather do that than / Let go of your hand”. The instrumentals are tonally beautiful once again, and come back much stronger after a short interlude. Drawn out even further in the outro, this instrumental is supported wonderfully by a string section, really toying at the emotions.
Final Thoughts
Bell X1 are one of those bands that provided the soundtrack to the economic height of success in this country. The issue I find is that many of those bands are left behind in that era. Bell X1 absolutely do not deserve to be forgotten in any respect; they are one of the finest bands this country has even produced. And this album is proof of that.
Flock may not have won any major awards upon its release, but the fact that it has sat with me for 20 years without growing old is something worth noting. A group as talented as Bell X1 doesn’t come around every day, and we really need to appreciate what we have before it’s gone. The range of emotions, instrumental and vocal talent displayed in this album deserves its accolades. Bell X1 are the only Irish band named after aircraft that matters.
