Meet The Bellrays (2002)

8

Too Many Houses in Here / Fire on the Moon / Heat Cage / Zero PM / Under the Mountain / They Glued Your Head on Upside Down / Changing Colors / Dark Horse Pigeon / Hole in the World / Dead / Killer Man / Blue Cirque / Testify / Blues for Godzilla / Have a Little Faith (uncredited)

If they'd been an instrumental band, The Bellrays would already be worth checking out - required listening for anyone even remotely interested in garage rock even - but when it really comes down to it, it's the presence of singer Lisa Kekaula that ensures they're lumped in with the coolest bands on the planet. Wanna know why? It's because there's not one bad-ass female vocalist like Lisa Kekaula, a woman whose voice has the sheer power of a siren, with the gospel-fervour of Aretha Franklin ànd Tina Turner on an acid trip. You thought you knew about "high-energy", but then you meet/see/hear Lisa Kekaula. Incredibly dedicated (liner notes to their albums point out they consider their existence as a calling, not just some hobby) and gifted with a soul bellow that has no equal in the contemporary rock scene, she brings passion to a scene that all too often relies on gimmicks and vintage gear to deserve credibility. In fact, her energy is so relentless she'll repeatedly blow you out of your chair. When she makes her entrance in "Heat Cage," for instance… well, it's a kick in the balls. At least. Those who've grown up with slick soul men and women might not like her boundless fury - she even gives her all when other singers would back down for a second - but it's also so amazingly infectious that their best songs give you that enormous adrenalin-kick only the best rock 'n' roll out there can give you. That said, she's also perfectly capable of singing in a more restrained, traditional way. The way she sings and moans her way through "Zero PM" and "Blue Cirque" is pure class. Of course, it wouldn't have been as effective if she didn't have an awesome band behind her all the time. Like The Dirtboms, The Bellrays draw from the classic eras of garage rock, soul and punk, but The 'rays are perhaps even the most raucous, anarchic band of the two, as they're closer to the primal proto-punk of the Stooges. They're loose, yet disciplined and are sonically even descendents of the mighty Black Flag when the hardcore punkers were indulging themselves in their less straightforward material. Do you remember those chaotic moments when Ginn's awkward freak-outs that were excuses for guitar solo threatened to make the songs collapse (but ultimately didn't)? The Bellrays also have that semi-intuitive way of playing with order and chaos. Meet The Bellrays is basically a compilation (although I've read it's only available in the States as an import item) that collects songs from their second and third album, Let It Blast (songs 7-14, 1999) and Grand Fury (songs 1-6, 2001), so it serves as a perfect introduction to the band. Sonically, they're quite similar, although the earlier material has more of a live feel (no coincidence, since it was recorded live in a rehearsal shack or something). Most of these songs feature simple yet forceful riffs, an almost chaotic attack that's reminiscent of the MC5's messianic rock and Kekaula's howling vocals, which range from being terrific to simply amazing. It's almost useless to point out highlights, as they differ from day to day, but "Blues for Godzilla," "Killer Man" (Jesus, what an energy boost!), "Testify" (a soul revue for the 21st century, no less!), "Changing Colors" and "Heat Cage" are kerosene-fueled slabs of maximum rock 'n' soul that combine the best from several worlds and genres as effortlessly as anything. This implies that you're with them or against them, but if you're in the first camp (with me, and many other nice folks!), you're in for a real treat. With shitloads of attitude (too bad the compilation didn't include "Stupid Fuckin' People" from Grand Fury), but also the goods to back it up, The Bellrays are a band that chose to do it the hard way and one to treasure in a time when too many artists coincidentally stumbled into music as an easy way to make money and travel around the world. Hey, I didn't intend to suddenly sound so preachy! Just crank 'em up, thassal!

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