The bass guitar is criminally overlooked in modern music. I often hear unoriginal, mundane lines written out, frequently confining solely to the root note of the chord. Due to the decline of popular experimental music, famous modern artists rarely write an interesting bass part. However, an Australian band called The Belair Lip Bombs gave their bass guitarist very exciting lines throughout their new studio album, Again.
Released on Oct. 31, Again is the band’s second album. Because I don’t listen to most modern music artists, I had never heard of the Belair Lip Bombs before Again. Almost all of my favorite albums don’t fit within The Central Trend‘s six-month release date rule for reviews, so there I was, scrolling through my Spotify Discover Weekly, searching for a newly released album to review.
Track one – “Again and Again”
When I clicked play on the album, the title track, “Again and Again,” opened strongly. I was pleasantly surprised by all the different melodies going on, from the two guitars and the bass. Later on, a fiddle is introduced, which is not often used in mainstream music. The song has a swung-16th feel, or a shuffle. When the lead singer, Maisie Everett, enters, she sings about liking someone who tells her to give up.
“One minute I was up in your head / Now you tell me that I’m wasting my breath / I’ve been telling everybody I’m fine / But I’ve been thinking ‘bout you every night, all right.”
The chorus is simple, but that’s what makes it effective. The repetition in the lyrics shows the girl’s longing for the person who tells her she’s ‘wasting her breath’. It is an amazing opener to an even better album. The song ends with four strong hits from all the instrumentalists, which I think is very unique.
Track three – “Another World”
“Another World” opens with the bass playing a simple yet captivating melody that quickly crescendos to an upbeat, syncopated riff with the guitar and drums. The lead riff is compelling and is quoted throughout the song. When Everett enters, it is completely enthralling.
The two-part harmony Everett sings in the prechorus is the cherry on top of this extremely impressive song. Similar to “Again and Again,” there is a lingering feeling of love for someone she cannot have, and it is the most impactful. Listening to this track, I never felt like Everett was just saying the lyrics with a melodic line intertwined; I truly believe that she is feeling the song on another level, and that’s what makes the listening experience for me so enjoyable.
“Could you be my girl in another world? / I wanna be the one that you riff with / I wanna be the one that you kiss / You hold me up, did I stutter? / To understand I need your trust / To fill the blank with your body / ‘Cause deep down, I want you.”
It is impossible to make a list of favorite songs from this album because they are all truly impeccable. If I had to, however, “Another World” would reside near the top of that list. In my personal opinion, “Hey You” would be at the top.
Track six – “Hey You”
Since my initial listen to the album, “Hey You” has been added to many of my playlists, including my “Favorite Songs.” Whenever I play it, my headphones are almost on full volume, because the reverb completely takes over my entire focus and being.
The song opens with an organ melody that drones throughout the piece. Soon, all the instruments strike a loud chord, and Everett’s voice quickly enters. Immediately, I was infatuated with her voice and passion for the lyrics and music.
This song’s theme lingers around the feeling of wanting the person that Everett loves to come out and “just say what [they] mean.” That person has been keeping their feelings away from Everett, and it is driving her crazy.
“Told you I love you, but it isn’t fair / If I have to tell you when I need you there / Breaking the silence, I’m breaking my bones / Reading the message when nobody’s home.”
Each time I listen, I hear something I didn’t hear the first time; however, something that has stuck out to me every time is the harmonies on the lyrics “just say what you mean.” Without it, this song probably wouldn’t be at the top of my list.
Conclusion
Again continues to impress me with each listen. I’ve been playing it on repeat a significant amount since my first listen back in November, and I am content. The album as a whole tells a real story through each song, and it doesn’t feel like a bunch of random songs that don’t connect; most newer songs that I listen to feel out of place within their respective albums. Listening to Again has been a breath of fresh air, and it gives me hope that newer music will be on the same level. I strongly believe that many people will find at least one song that they enjoy from Again; for me, I know I will be listening to this album for a very long time. The lyrics perfectly express yearning, resentment, hope, and true love, and it makes me emotional how perfectly written every song on the album is.
