Bela

Exit Music (Mother West)
by Rich Romaine

It’s not every rock band that boasts a couple cello players and a thereminist. Nor should they. Bela combine the moody rock elements of Gene Loves Jezebel with clear, British-sounding vocals, and paces that sway more than rock. While the melodies are soothing and calmly eerie, the clarity of the vocals unfortunately spotlight embarrassingly bad lyrics. And with titles like “Vampire Love Song,” “Symphony for the Sharks,” and “Dark Shadows,” you’d really like the words to have a bit more bite. Listened to (not closely, mind you) in a darkened room with a candle flickering, staring at the shadows on the wall or the lines on your hand, Bela works wonders. But it just doesn’t withstand close scrutiny. This is a mere six-song, 16-minute EP, so perhaps they’ll work out some of the faults for their next release. There are hints of magic tucked in here, the band merely needs to bring them out of the shadows more often.
(132 West 26th St. New York, NY 10001)