the bella fayes: Press

This is this band`s third CD but it`s only the first time we`ve heard of them. Boy, have we been missing something. Like a mix of The Strokes, The Killers, some White Stripes and, with those influences, you`ll hear some UK new wave like The Undertones and Gang Of Four. own. With impassioned vocals and a brash, rock solid band confident in flirting with the outer edges of pop music, "Discos" is a cut above so many of the post-new wave bands on the scene today. Evidently, having built a reputation for their great on stage chemistry, The Bella Fayes made a conscious decision to record this album in the spirit of capturing that remarkable group dynamic. Equally inspired by classic rock tunesmiths as by the attitude and angular riffs of modern indie rockers, the record works as simply a cool modern rock album--they`re melodic, but they pack quite a wallop.

This Portland four-piece has the hipster attitude to go with their modern rock sound, a quality that incorporates a Jet-like strut with the aloofness of the Strokes. Lael Alderman is the head rooster for the Bella Fayes and he crows like big daddy Mick Jagger on “Back in Line,” even drawling out the word “line” like the head Stone would. Alderman is also the band’s songwriter, and he’s very good at crafting four minute radio rockers, even when he’s flashing-back to a ’60s sound, like on “Uptight!” The hippie-era cut sounds like something that the Jefferson Airplane would’ve come up with when they were shrooming hard. If you’re a fan of the television program Everwood you may have heard “I do Believe” during one of the shows; the song has a buoyant optimism that fits perfectly into that little victorious, cinematic moment. The band slows things down for “Way out Out There” as Alderman switches to his best bedside-manner, setting up the album’s three rocker close-out.

The Bella Fayes is a four-piece outfit from Portland, Oregon with a sound that marries British invasion rock with modern day, indie punk-pop. The group’s new album Far from the Discos is a giant leap forward from its enjoyable debut The Truth in a Beautiful Lie, and at its best moments, the music is every bit as good as that of similar contemporary bands including The Killers, Franz Ferdinand, and Ted Leo/Pharmacists.
The title track from Far from the Discos is the best of the bunch as The Bella Fayes adopts a posture reminiscent of the Rolling Stones at Mick Jagger’s cocky, cheeky, and rocking best. The music of The Kinks clearly provides inspiration to the tracks I Believe, If I Know You, and Keep It with Mine, and Ted Leo’s modern, wordy songcraft shares similarities with both Love and Back in Line. At times, The Bella Fayes veers too close for comfort to its influences. Sad Susie, for example, dangerously approaches being a note-for-note remake of David Bowie’s The Jean Genie.
On the other hand, clocking in at a mere 30 minutes in length, the ultra-tight, 10-song Far from the Discos has very little fat. In fact, the attempt at psychedelic rock Way Out Out There, is the only stinker on the entire disc. Otherwise, The Bella Fayes drives home the hooks with great economy and self-confidence throughout this pleasing, independent release. ****

On their latest release, Far From The Discos, Portland, Oregon's rock 'n' roll quartet The Bella Fayes prove the third time is the charm, delivering a record of equally rocking, danceable, and melodic proportions.
Whether they're discussing a heavy topic such as the existence (or lack thereof) of God. Or writing party rock songs about getting out there, feeling good, and having a good time (the title track), the band always has the guitars roaring, the rhythm section meaty and pounding, and charismatic front man Lael Alderman's zestful, lively voice up front.

"Sad Susie" showcases the band's ability to layer, yet still deliver a crisp, clear sound, each guitar standing on its own, never being drown out by the other, the acoustic guitar as audible as its loud electric counterpart.

"Love" is one of the album's standout tracks, a hook-laden, radio-friendly song that will find you singing - and dancing - along to this infectious ditty. Not to be outdone, "I Do Believe" follows "Love", delivering just as much guitar-led, rock-heavy pop as its predecessor, without sacrificing any of the other qualities that The Bella Fayes such a rare treat. A band able to capture emotion, make you think, want to sing along, and dance to each and every number on their album.

Taking a breather on the spacey "Way Out Out There", the band proves they are not all meat-and-potatoes pop-rock, they can turn it down and send shivers up your spine with a melodic eerie-ness that will make you smile.

Still not done, the post-punk-meets-power-pop of "If I Know You" recalls the glory days of college radio and indie-rock before it became a sub-genre rather than an attitude.

Closing out with "Six Feet Under", the band goes out with a bang, creating an all-American rock song that would make any American rock legend proud.

Far From The Discos is a fine offering from a band that is brimming with energy, melody, and a lot of fun to boot. If you're looking for a serious, yet good-time record that has the lyrics, the hooks, the voice, and, let's not forget, the power of rock, than look no further. I'll give this an A.