Bell X1 See Blue Lights on the Runway

Bell X1 are like the Irish, black sheep version of Coldplay. Throughout their ten year career the band have constantly upheld a strong set of songs and records that were introspective, a bit witty, and totally radio ready. On their latest album, Blue Lights On The Runway, the band have continued to develop their sound into a finely honed point which, unsurprisingly, is finally making some headway here in the States.

Blue Lights On The Runway is a moody little record that embraces a smattering of electronics, piano, and enough introspection to make an introvert smile. This is a record that mixes twangy atmospherics with upbeat pacing to create the feeling of a record that's rustic and comfortable while being edgy and modern. While they've started to bring in a bit more technology here (see "The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella") Bell X1 has done anything but radically change their sound or direction. If anything, the use of more keyboards and layered sound have only helped fill out Bell X1 making them sound deep, rich, and stunning.

This is a band that's becoming better each record and Blue Lights On The Runway is the sound of a band just about 100% on top of it's game. Bell X1's mixture of moodiness with a superb pop sensibility has made their songs ridiculously good and extremely commercially viable; I can see like four commecials waiting to happen. While their moodiness obviously leads to Coldplay comparisons at times, listening to Bell X1 is like listening to what would have happened to Radiohead if they never disappeared into the musical void of electronic experimentation and embraced the ideal that pop songs are actually very good things. It's good stuff that's mercurial in all the best ways.

Blue Lights On The Runway is a delightful mix of a band expanding its sound while keeping in touch with it's roots. That being said, Bell X1 have written by far the best album of their career and I've throughly enjoyed listening to how good they've gotten. If you like introspective pop and are kind of burned out by all the uber-commercial purveyors out there do yourself a favor and check Blue Lights On The Runway out.