Universal
2006
Flock
About This Album
In its earlier incarnation as Juniper, the band that would become known as Bell X1 (then featuring singer Damien Rice) was universally accepted as Ireland's brightest musical prospect. Before their 1998 collapse, they were compared favorably with hometown heroes U2 and the Frames, and with the release of their third and most successful album to date, Flock, the same comparisons have begun to be heard again. With Flock, Bell X1 have stepped out of the shadow of their more illustrious former cohort; for the first time, Rice doesn't have a single writing credit, and the music has taken on more of a unique, identifiable sound from the post-Radiohead rock that typified their first two efforts. Flock opens with a bang, as the energetic pairing of "Reacharound" and single "Flame" clamor for attention with angular art rock riffs and smooth funk rhythms, respectively. That frontman Paul Noonan doubles as the band's studio drummer adds an interesting dimension to Bell X1's compositions, as demonstrated on "Bad Skin Day," where percussion turns the tables and becomes the lead instrument, relegating the soft acoustic guitar sequences to mere accompaniment.
Track List (try tracks 1,3 and 5)

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